A FIELD‐ORIENTED TECHNIQUE FOR PRODUCING HIGH‐QUALITY PREPARATIONS OF PLANT SURFACES FOR SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY

Abstract

SummaryCommonly used techniques for the preparation of plant surfaces for scanning electron microscopy involve either the use of coagulative fixatives such as FAA that are easily used in the field, but may cause specimen distortion, or else the use of noncoagulative fixatives such as glutaraldehyde or osmium tetroxide, that give excellent results but are difficult to use under field conditions. We have modified existing techniques that provide for relative ease of use in the field, low cost, and excellent results; they involve fixation in formaldehyde prepared from paraformaldehyde powder and dehydration in acetone.