Production of 3-indolylacetic acid in root nodules and culture by a Rhizobium species isolated from root nodules of the leguminous pulse Phaseolus mungo.

The root nodules of Phaseolus mungo (a herbaceous leguminous pulse) contained a high amount of 3-indolylacetic acid (IAA). A tryptophan pool present in the nodule might play the role of precursor for IAA production. From the root nodule a Rhizobium sp. was isolated. The symbiont produced a large amount of IAA (142 microg/mL) from L-tryptophan-supplemented basal medium. The production of IAA by the symbiont was much increased over the control when a L-tryptophan (2 mg/mL) supplemented C-free mineral medium was enriched with mannitol (1 %), L-asparagine (0.3 %) and thiamine hydrochloride (1 microg/mL). The possible role of the rhizobial production of IAA on the rhizobia-legume symbiosis is discussed.