Plants – Don’t Just Sit There, Do Something!

 

Marsha E. Fanning & Karen M. McDougal

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2012, Volume 33

Abstract

Many botany labs involve having students look at flowers, seeds, and fruits, but often omit some of the “neat things” that are more hidden from view. Some of the most fascinating botanical phenomena are rarely included in the introductory laboratory, and yet they are easily seen if appropriate techniques and plants are used. These aspects of plant biology offer interesting questions for investigation, but without proper techniques they are often ignored. In this workshop we show how to prepare simple setups to view pollen tube germination, to see endosperm and early embryos of dicots, and to make preparations of chromosomes in broad beans. All of the techniques have the potential for use in a variety of student exercises and research projects.

Keywords:  embryo, chromosome, pollen tube

New Mexico State University (2011)