Indole acetic acid and its metabolism in root nodules of a monocotyledonous tree Roystonea regia.

A monocotyledonous tree, Roystonea regia, was found to bear root nodules. The root nodules contained a high amount (16.9 microg/g fresh mass) of indole acetic acid (IAA). A big tryptophan pool (1555.1 microg/g fresh mass) was found in the root nodules, which might serve as a source of IAA production. The presence of IAA-metabolizing enzymes IAA oxidase and peroxidase indicated metabolism of IAA in the root nodules. The symbiont isolated from the root nodules of R. regia, a Rhizobium sp., produced high amount of IAA in culture when supplemented with tryptophan. The possible role of this IAA production in the monocotyledonous tree-Rhizobium symbiosis is discussed.