Examination of North American bison saliva for potential plant growth regulators.

A series of laboratory bioassays were utilized to test for the presence of potential plant growth factors in saliva from a large native ungulate, the North American bison (Bison bison L.). Whole saliva enhancedAvena coleoptile growth at high pH, whether alone or in combination with indoleacetic acid (IAA). However, this enhancement was a result of salts in the saliva (primarily NaHCO3) rather than of other compounds acting hormonally, enhancing IAA activity, or inhibiting IAA oxidase activity as possibly occurs with some insect salivas. Additionally, the absence of detectable cytokinins in the saliva was indicated by its failure to enhance cucumber cotyledon expansion. This suggests that biochemical control of plant growth by salivary compounds following grazing is probably not an important component of this ruminant's interactions with its food plants, as has been suggested for some herbivores.