James Holman wrote:
>> Hi everyone,
> I currently trying to carry out chromosome counts on Senna(small shrub)
> but have encountered problems. I am doing root tip squashes. One
> problem is that the roots are very fibrous and thin thus causing it to be difficult to macerate.
James,
I did this for my dissertation (nearly finished) on warmseason grass
fiberous roots. Those root tips are tricky. are you sure you are only
squashing the meristematic region. A good rule of thumb is from the
upper edge of the root cap and 2-3 mm toward the stem. Try not to
macerate too much since the meristematic cells are only a small ring
within this disk. Also a group working with cotton here at Texas A&M are
using a combination of cellulase and pectinase. You might want to give
them a call--that's Stelle's lab thru the Dept. of Soil&Crop Sci.
--
Marianne Oprisko
Work: MOprisko at tamu.edu
Home: MJO1354 at acs.tamu.edu
Voice Mail/Fax (409) 690-0738
