A Squash Technique for Chromosome Morphological Studies

ANY different methods of making squash preparations for chro-M mosome studies have been described. These involve the application of various chemical and physical agents for the pretreatment and fixation of the dividing cells. A good technique should permit the chromosomes to become well spread during the squashing, and, at the same time, the fixation should bring out the details of chromosome morphology as distinctly as possible. Well spread chromosomes with a clear morphology are essential for karyotype studies and chromosome measurements. It is much more difficult to make good preparations from some species than from others. The grasses do not belong to the easiest materials in this respect. The root tips are hard and difficult to squash due to the failure of the cells to separate readily from one another, even after prolonged hydrolysis in normal HCI, or repeated heating in the acetic stains (PIENAAR, 1955).