A rapid methyl salicylate clearing technique for routine phase‐contrast observations on female meiosis in Solanum

SUMMARY A rapid clearing technique, involving methyl salicylate clearing and phase‐contrast microscopy, that enables large‐scale observations on meiosis and embryo sac development in intact ovules of potato, was developed. With high resolution phase‐contrast optics the details observed in cleared ovules were as well defined as in microtome sections and ‘abnormalities' associated with desynapsis and 2n‐megaspore formation were readily detected. In potato this ovule clearing technique offers certain advantages over earlier clearing and staining‐clearing techniques and permits bulk preparation of ethanol (70%) stored ovaries shortly (1·5–2 h) before observation.