Phenotypic analysis of Arabidopsis mutants: trypan blue stain for fungi, oomycetes, and dead plant cells

Abstract

Trypan blue stains vasculature, dead plant cells, and fungal and oomycete hyphae. It is useful for assessing the extent of colonization of tissue, and for detecting microlesions present in certain lesion mimic mutants. Trypan blue staining requires chloral hydrate for destaining, which is inconvenient, because it is a controlled substance. The chloral hydrate can be replaced with 1:2 lactophenol:ethanol, but the background staining will be higher than it is when chloral hydrate is used.