COMPARISON OF LONG-TERM STORAGE IN CHEMICAL FIXATIVES ON MORPHOLOGY AND ANATOMY OF SUPERDWARF WHEAT
Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. SuperDwarf) plants grown in the microgravity of space aboard the Russian space station Mir and sampled for morphological and anatomical comparison to those ex-posed to gravity on earth will be stored in chemical fixative for relatively long periods of time. Our objective was to examine, evaluate, and verify that the integrity of the vascular system and cellular components of wheat plants is maintained following storage in a chemical fixative. In ground-based studies, wheat seedlings were harvested on days 9, 28, and 68 and preserved in 4% formaldehyde: 1% glutaraldehyde (4F: 1G) fixative, adjusted to pH 7.2. Samples of leaves and/or stems were taken from these stocks after various times in storage (24 h, 1, 6, 12, and 24 months), dehydrated, and embedded in Spurr's resin. Semi-thin (1 μm) and thin (50–70 nm) sections were examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. Overall, there seems to be no major artifacts in the cellular structure. The plasmalemma and other organelles appeared normal in this fixative. Use of differential chromophores suggests that enzyme localizations at both the light and electron microscopical levels are not adversely affected by long-term storage. (Supported by NASA Grant NCC 2-831 and the Utah Agr. Expt. Station.)