4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)butanoic acid

Effects of 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)butanoic Acid on the Root System of Rice Seedlings

Li, Xiuping, et al. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 2009, 55(3), 385-393.

This study investigated the effects of 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)butanoic acid (TFIBA) on the elongation of rice seminal roots, the most effective application method for TFIBA, and its influence on ion uptake by rice seedlings.
· Continuous supply of 10^-5 mol L^-1 TFIBA increased elongation of seminal roots by about 80 per cent, while the concentration of 10^-4 mol L^-1 TFIBA inhibited elongation by 40 per cent.
· Epidermal and cortex cells 5 mm and 30 mm away from the root apex stretched 60% and 30%, respectively, when continuously exposed to 10^-5 mol L^-1 TFIBA. This significant lengthened resulted in 15% loss of root diameter and stopped the formation of root hairs.
· When rice seeds were soaked in 10^-5 mol L^-1 or 10^-4 mol L^-1 TFIBA for 48 hours during germination and then cultured in distilled water with no TFIBA, only the seedlings exposed to 10^-4 mol L^-1 TFIBA had a 40 per cent root lengthening without root hair loss.
· Furthermore, the uptake of K+ and NO3- also dropped drastically in roots with an 80% elongation after exposure to 10^-5 mol L^-1 TFIBA for 24 hours. Instead, the uptake of both ions increased notably in roots that exhibited a 40% elongation from TFIBA treatment solely during seed germination.
· These results indicated that ion uptake by seedlings was enhanced by TFIBA administered during germination, without inhibiting root hair growth.