Abstract
Velocity of IAA movement was determined by noting the time of arrival of an ether‐soluble auxin wave, at a fixed distance, after presentation of an auxin pulse to bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Pinto) hypocotyl segments. The effects of IAA adsorption on wave symmetry were reduced by monitoring the arrival of ether‐soluble auxin molecules. Velocity of auxin movement, as estimated by wave arrival, was slower than velocity estimated by the intercept method in controls and in both iodoacetate (IOAA) and 2,3,5‐triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA) treated tissue. Velocity of wave migration was reduced by both treatments but intercept velocity was reduced only by TIBA treatment. Velocity of IAA migration was faster in segments (independent of method of measurement) than from segments into agar by a factor of 4 to 8. The rate limiting step of auxin migration in the traditional agar‐plant sandwich is the partitioning of IAA between the tissue and agar. It was suggested that arrival curves for pulsed auxin migration are analogous to elution profiles of chromatographic columns and that at least two populations of mobile molecules with different velocities exist. It was also suggested that the two velocities represent migration of auxin on two different pathways: the faster velocity representing auxin movement of water films which coast highly crosslinked polymers in the segment and the slower component representing a population which moves primarily within the matrices of crosslinked polymers. Velocity of both populations may be a function of tissue hydration and charge interactions of mobile molecules and matrix polymers.