You can try fixing in formalin and then moving to alcohol or an
alcohol-ethylene-glycol mix. That might work.
M. Reed
>Can anyone suggest an alternative to FAA (formalin-acetic
>acid-alcohol) as a fixative for plant stem sections.
>I have some two-foot-high sunflower plants growing under growth
>chamber conditions and intended for free-hand stem sectioning and
>staining in a botany lab on stem anatomy, scheduled in about three
>weeks. By then, the plants will have passed the point of being best
>for sectioning, so I would like to cut the stems into 1-1.5-inch
>sections and submerge them in fixative for the 3 week period. From
>what I read, FAA would serve the purpose, but I would like to know if
>there is a non-formalin based fixative that would work as well or
>better so we can avoid the formalin. Suggestions on any part of this
>plan, particularly the fixative, will be appreciated.
>John E. Silvius
>Professor of Biology
>Box 601
>Cedarville College
>Cedarville, Ohio 45314
>E-mail: silviusj at cedarville.edu>http://www.cedarville.edu/dept/sm/jes_www.htm
