The soluble invertase activity in etiolated Avena seedlings was highest at the apex of the coleoptile and much lower in the primary leaf, mesocotyl, and root. The activity in all parts of the seedling consisted of two invertases (I and II) which were separated by chromatography on diethylaminoethylcellulose. Both enzymes appeared to be acid invertases, but they differed in molecular size, pH optimum, and the kinetic parameters K(m) and V(max) of their action on sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose. Invertase II had low stability at pH 3.5 and below, and exhibited high sensitivity to Hg(2+), with complete inhibition by 2 micromolar HgCl(2). Segments of coleoptiles incubated in water lost about two-thirds of the total invertase activity after 16 hours. The loss of activity was due primarily to a decrease in the level of invertase II. The loss of invertase was decreased by indoleacetic acid, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid but not by beta-naphthaleneacetic acid and p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid. Conditions that inhibited auxin-induced growth of the segments (20 millimolar CaCl(2) and 200 millimolar mannitol) also blocked the auxin effect on invertase loss.