• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.129-134
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• 2000

Clear visualization of pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) microspore nuclei with common stains such as acetocarmine or propionocarmine is difficult, hindering cytological analysis. The DAPI stain after the addition of ferric chloride solution to fixative resulted in clear visualization of nuclei. For clear visualization of nuclei and slight fluorescence of microspore wall, addition of 40-60 ${mu}ell$ of ferric chloride solution to the 1 $m\ell$ fixative was identified as most effective. At all stages of gametophytic development, the nuclei can be distinctly visualized. Starch granules does not intefere with the fluorochrome, and so the vegetative and generative nuclei were cleary visible in binucleate pollens. With its rapidity and reliability, this technique represents an efficient tool for routine staging or investigation of the nuclear status of the microspore during culture.