Meiosis in Diploid and Polyploid Species

Abstract

Spikes or panicles at appropriate stages (just emerged to one-third out, depending upon the species and environmental conditions) are fixed in a freshly prepared Carnoy’s fluid (6:3:1, 95% ethanol: chloroform: glacial acetic acid) containing about 1.5 ml of saturated aqueous solution of ferric chloride per 100 ml of the fixative. The inflorescences may be stored in the fixative at 1 °C until analyzed. Anthers at appropriate stages are squashed in 1.5% acetocarmine and the slides are either analyzed the same day or stored at about 1°C in a refrigerator as described earlier (Jauhar 1981a). Pollen fertility is estimated by squashing mature anthers (before dehiscence) in a drop of 0.5% cotton blue in lactophenol.