Auxin-like Growth Activity of Phenylacetonitrile

Phenylacetonitrile (PAN) and phenylacetic acid (PAA) showed auxin-like activity by stimulating elongation of wheat-coleoptile sections. Their auxin-like properties were also tested on the elongation of sections cut from hypocotyls of cress and sugar-beet seedlings, from petioles of sugar-beet leaves, and from epicotyls of pea seedlings. They were also tested for their ability to induce adventitious roots on hypocotyls of cress and sugar-beet seedlings and on pea epicotyls. PAN was generally more active than PAA on cress, and PAA more active than PAN on sugar-beet and peas. Steam distillates of cress seedlings contained a neutral substance with auxin-like activity and similar chromatographic properties to PAN.