Preparation of macerated plant materials

Preparation of macerated plant materials

Macerated plant materials are excellent for the study of plant cell types. Firstly I prepared the macerating fluid as follows:

30% solution of hydrogen peroxide

4 part water

Part glacial acetic acidProcedure1. I cut the plant tissue of stem into small pieces of not more than 1 mm thick

2. I put the tissue into freshly prepared macerating fluid. The fluid is prepared by mixing solution of hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid

3. I Left the tissue in the macerating fluid for about seven days.

4. I teased the tissue with dissecting needles. The cells did not separate readily; I left the tissue in the macerating fluid for some more days.

5. I filtered off the macerating fluid and washed away the acids from the macerated material with water.

6. Then I stored macerated plant material in 70% ethanol.

7. Then I mounted the macerated material to make a temporary slide of it.Observation1. I saw trichomes ( hair like structure to prevent the plant from pathogens)

2. spirals like structure which was actually primary thickening meristem

3. parenchyma cell

4. fibers

5. vessel elementsSlide

Peeling of plant material

The superficial tissues of many plant parts (especially leaves) may be peeled away in strips thin enough for microscopic examination. Procedure1. I removed small piece of epidermis from lower and upper surface of leaf

2. I folded the part of leaf

3. With the help of forcep I gently pulled on the uppermost layer

4. I put the epidermal peel on the temporary slide

5. I viewed it and the observation wereObservation1. stomata

2. Two subsidary cell which are parallel to the axis of guard cellsType of stomataI saw the slide and identifed that the type of stomata was paracyticClearing of plant materialLeaves vary in shape, composition, color, as well as the structure of their venation networks. So this method is used to se different types of venation in the leafProcedure1. I placed a tissue in acid alcohol to remove the cell content and to remove pigments

2. I placed cell content in 2-5% NaOH at a temperature up to 37 degrees

3. I then prepared the temperory slide of it in next labObservation1. Type of venation ResultThe type of venation for this plant is reticulateSection cutting of plantSection cutting is used to view the vascular bundles. I made slides of cross ( transverse) section of the stemProcedure1. I took stem of the plant and placed it in the petri dish

2. I took piece od potato and fixed stem in it

3. I took razor and cut its cross section

4. firstly it was thick section, I tired again and made number of section

5. I staind it and observed it under microscopeObservation1. vacsular bundles (Bicollateral)2. it has phloem outside and xylem inside

3. trichomes are present

4. bundle cap