Since IBA is not completely soluble in water, it is typically dissolved in 75% or purer alcohol for use in plant rooting, making a solution of between 10,000 and 50,000 ppm.

In maize, IBA has been shown to be biosynthesized in vivo from IAA and other compounds as precursors.

[2] In plant tissue culture IBA and other auxins are used to initiate root formation in vitro in a procedure called micropropagation.

In connection with cytokinins like kinetin, auxins like IBA can be used to cause the formation of masses of undifferentiated cells called callus.

According to the result for the species, IBA was shown to produce a higher yield of roots compared to the other auxins.