Analysis of published data for the most widely used bioassays for cytokinins reveals that the dose responses are usually subsensitive, i.e. that S90/S10> 81. The data are. in general, insufficiently detailed and/or precise for the kinetics (cooperative, multiphasic or more complex) of the subsensitive responses to be determined. Genus‐and species‐specific differences in response type were found for callus growth, where the responses are ultrasensitive (S90/S10<81) for tabacco and Phaseolus Iunatus but mostly subsensitive for soybean and P. vulgaris.