P17 AMYLOPLASTS AND CHROMOPLASTS

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this practice is to observe cells from tomato, carrot and potato to identify amyloplasts and chromoplasts.

MATERIAL

• A potato
• A carrot
• A tomato
• A cutter or a knife
• A slide and a coverslide
• Distilled water
• An optical microscope
• A dropper
• A forceps

PROCEDURE

TOMATO

• Make a thin cut in the tomato pulp of 1 or 2 mm.
• Place the cut on the slide without adding water.
• Then cover with coverslip and crush gently.
• Observe in the optical microscope.

CARROT

Do the same as with the tomato but adding distilled water to be able to observe the sample well.

POTATO

A

Cut a piece of the epidermis from the potato and observe it under an optical microscope.

B

• Take a few drops of potato whey with the help of a dropper.
• Then place the droplets on the slide and cover with the coverslip.
• We observe it under a microscope.

RESULTS 

Chromoplasts of the tomato

Chromoplasts of the carrot 

Amiloplasts of the potato (serum and epidermis)

CONCLUSIONS

The plast are vacuoles that carry the production and store of nutrients and plant cells.

The chromoplasts contain pigments that bring the coloration to the vegetable.

The leucoplasts contain substances of store like starch, with are called amyloplasts.