Encodes a protein shown to have carboxylesterase activity, methyl IAA esterase activity, and methyl jasmonate esterase activity in vitro. This protein does not act on MeSA, MeGA4, or MEGA9 in vitro. Although MES16 is similar to MES17, a MeIAA hydrolase, two mes16 mutant lines (SALK_151578) and (SALK_139756) do not show altered sensitivity to MeIAA in root growth assays. MES16 transcripts appear to be more than 10-fold less abundant than those of MES17 in roots.