THE EFFECT OF VARIOUS FIXATION SCHEDULES ON THE SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC IMAGE OF TROPAEOLUM MAJUS

Abstract

Fresh, unfixed shoot tips of Tropaeolum provided excellent quality scanning electron micrographs if observations were brief and magnifications were relatively low. For extended observations or for high‐magnification observations, fixation by OsO 4 vapor or Zirkle‐Erliki's fluid provided the best scanning electron micrographs. Brief exposures to microscope vacuum do not appear to produce any apparent morphological changes in living shoot tips of Tropaeolum except in regions adjacent to a cut surface.