Cpac 5: Root Tip Squash

Question 1

Method (step 1-4)

Answer 1

1. Fill a small bottle of 1 mil HCI and put it into a 60°c water bath for 15 minutes, to soften the tissue.
2. Put root tips still attached to the garlic into the warm HCI for 5 minutes.
3. Rinse the root tips in a watch glass.
4. Using scissors, cut 5mm into several root ends.

Question 2

Method (step 5-9)

Answer 2

5. Fill a different small bottle with acetic orecin stain (2mm).
6. Immerse the root tips in the stain. Place the lid back onto the bottle but loosely. Put into a water bath for 5 minutes (in a beaker of hot water from the bath to prevent spillage).
7. Take out the root tips from the stain and put them individually onto a slide (add 1 drop of water) and break down with a needle.
8. Blot with paper towel then add a cover slip and press down.
9. Observe mitosis under a microscope.

Question 3

Additional (controls etc)

Answer 3

• repeat twice more to ensure validity
• ensure that the size of the root tip is kept the same each time