Hi. I'm working in a tropical rainforest and I need to measure the density of trichomes, but due the lack of equipment in the station, I need to preserve the samples during 1 month to then count the trichomes in the lab. Does anyone know a good method to do it?
Hello Paulina; Flatten and dry the leaf sample with minimum pressure on the surface to be observed. Store the samples so that the surfaces don't rub against one another. The trichomes and stomata should be visible with a dissecting microscope when you get back to the lab next month. Keep the material well ventilated and dry. Good luck with your project, Jim Des Lauriers
See follwing paper on how to preserved leaf.
Chieco, A Rotondi, L Morrone, F Rapparini & R Baraldi (2013) An ethanol-based fixation method for anatomical and micro-morphological characterization of leaves of various tree species, Biotechnic & Histochemistry, 88:2, 109-119, DOI: 10.3109/10520295.2012.746472
I agree with the ethanol method. You may have issues trying to dry leaf samples in a rainforest, especially during the rainy season(s). Dehydration would shrink the lamina, making trichome density counts problematic. Rehydration will not restore the lamina to full size, so the object is to prevent drying and decay.
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