Etiolated mung bean seedlings, Phaseolus aureus Roxb., when decapitated below the cotyledons show a linear decrease with time in root initiation. The decrease does not result from a loss of endogenous auxin because IBA fails to prevent the loss. Three root promoting compounds were found in an ethanolic extract of the hypocotyl tissue, but the level of the compounds could not be consistently related to the decrease in root initiation. Glucose, fructose and sucrose are the major sugars present in the hypocotyl tissue. Total sugar decreased in a linear manner with 2.0 mg lost during the 48-hr treatm ent period. Fifty percent of the decrease in root initiation could be regained by application of glucose or fructose. Total phenolic compounds decreased 20% during decapitation but their contribution to root formation was not determined because they were not purified.
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Heuser et al. (1972) studied this question.