JIM CORBETT PUBLIC SCHOOL

SESSION 2022 – 23

CLASS: XII – BIOLOGY PRACTICAL

EXPERIMENT NO.1

Aim
To study the plant population density by the quadrant method.

Materials Required
 Nail.
 Thread
 Hammer

Procedure
1. Select a site for the study and hammer the nails on the site without harming the
vegetation.
2. Fix four nails in the form of a square.
3. Each end of the nail is tied with the help of a thread making a 1m*1m quadrant.
4. Nine more similar quadrants are made at the site of the study.
5. The number of individuals of species A present in the first quadrant is counted and
the data is recorded in the table.
6. The number of individuals of species A in other quadrants is also counted and the
data is recorded in the table.
7. Similarly, count the number of individuals of species B and C present in all the
quadrants and record the data in the table.
8. The density of the plant population is then calculated by the following equation:

Density=Total number of individuals of the species in all sampling units(S)

Total number of sampling units studied(Q)
D = S/Q

Observations
Total Total
Plant number of number of Density
Number of individuals in each quadrant
Species individuals quadrants (D)=S/Q
(S) (Q)

I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X

A 2 0 5 7 10 0 0 0 0 3 27 10 2.7

B 1 0 4 0 8 0 3 0 0 2 20 10 2

C 4 0 0 3 0 6 0 0 1 2 19 10 1.9

Conclusion
The population density is the highest for species A and the lowest for species C. The density
value is expressed as the number of individuals per unit area.

EXPERIMENT NO.2

Aim
To study the plant population frequency by the quadrant method.

Materials Required
 Cotton/Nylon thread
 4 nails
 Hammer

Procedure
1. Select the site of study and make a quadrant of 1m*1m using the nails and the
thread.
2. Fix the nails with the help of a hammer without destroying the vegetation.
3. Make nine similar quadrants at the site of study.
4. The plant species for the study should be selected.
5. Observe the species in the first quadrant and mark them as species A.
6. Check the presence of species A in all the quadrants and record the observations in
the table.
7. Similarly, record the number of species B and C in all the quadrants and mention
them in the table.
8. Determine the frequency of plant population by the formula:

Percentage frequency= (No. of sampling units in which species occur

(Total number of sampling units used in the study)*100

Observations
 Plant Quadrants employed in the study No. of Percentage
Species quadrants in Frequency
which species
are present (N) (F)=N/Q*100

I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X

A P P P 3 30%

B P P P P 4 40%

C P P P P P 5 50%

Conclusion
The plant population frequency is the highest in species C and the least in species A. It
shows how many times a plant species is present in the provided number of sample
quadrats.

EXPERIMENT NO.3

Aim
To study pollen germination on a slide.

Necessary Materials & Apparatus

Freshly plucked seasonal flowers, beaker, boric acid, sucrose, microscope and cavity slide.

Procedure
The first step involves the preparation of a nutrient solution. This is done by dissolving 10g
of sucrose as well as 10mg of boric acid in 100ml of water.
Pour a few drops of this solution onto the cavity slide. Then, use a brush or fingers to gently
dust a few pollen grains from the stamen of mature flowers.
Let the slide set for 5 mins. Then, use the microscope to view the slides in 30-minute
intervals.

Observation
The pollen grains will germinate when submerged in the nutrient-rich medium. This is
characterized by the enlargement of the vegetative/tube cell. It emerges through one of the
germ pores, eventually forming a pollen tube. The generative cell nucleus grows into the
pollen tube and makes two male gametes (sperm nuclei). The male gamete is either
spherical or lenticular in outline.
Precautions
 Ensure that the flowers are freshly picked
 The observation slide should be a cavity slide, meaning that it has a depression in the
centre.

EXPERIMENT NO.4

Aim
To study and demonstrate mitosis by preparing the mount of an onion root tip cells.

Theory
For entities to mature, grow, maintain tissues, repair and synthesize new cells, cell division
is required. Cell division is of two types:

 Mitosis
 Meiosis
Mitosis
In mitosis, the nucleus of the Eukaryotic cells divides into two, subsequently resulting in the
splitting of the parent cells into two daughter cells. Hence, every cell division involves two
chief stages:

 Cytokinesis – Cytoplasm division

 Karyokinesis – Nucleus division

Stages Of Mitosis
The various stages of mitosis are:
1. Prophase

 The process of mitosis is initiated at this stage wherein coiling and thickening of the
chromosomes occurs
 Shrinking and hence the disappearance of the nucleolus and nuclear membrane
takes place
 The stage reaches its final state when a cluster of fibres organizes to form the
spindle fibres
2. Metaphase

 Chromosomes turn thick in this phase. The two chromatids from each of the
chromosomes appear distinct
 Each of the chromosomes is fastened to the spindle fibres located on its controller
 Chromosomes align at the centreline of the cell
3. Anaphase

 Each of the chromatid pair detaches from the centromere and approaches the other
end of the cell through the spindle fibre
 At this stage, compressing of the cell membrane at the centre takes place
4. Telophase

 Chromatids have reached the other end of the cell

 The disappearance of the spindles
 Chromatin fibres are formed as a result of uncoiling of daughter chromosomes
 The appearance of two daughter nuclei at the opposing ends due to the reformation
of the nucleolus and nuclear membrane
 At this phase, splitting of the cell or cytokinesis may also occur
Post mitosis, the next stage is referred to as interphase, which is part of the cell cycle that is
non-dividing and between two consecutive cell divisions. A cell spends most of its life in the
interphase. It comprises the G1, S and G2 stages.
Materials Required
 Compound microscope
 Acetocarmine stain
 Water
 Burner
 N/10 Hydrochloric acid
 Filter paper
 Coverslip
 Aceto alcohol (Glacial acetic acid and Ethanol in the ratio 1:3)
 Glass Slide
 Onion root peel
 Forceps
 Blade
 Watch glass
 Dropper
 Needle
Procedure Of The Experiment
 Place an onion on a tile
 With the help of a sharp blade, carefully snip the dry roots of the onion
 Place the bulbs in a beaker containing water to grow the root tips
 It may take around 4 to 6 days for the new roots to grow and appear
 Trim around 3 cm of the newly grown roots and place them in a watch glass
 With the help of forceps, shift it to a vial holding freshly prepared aceto-alcohol i.e., a
mixture of glacial acetic acid and ethanol in the ratio 1:3
 Allow the root tips to remain in the vial for one complete day
 With the help of forceps, pick one root and set in on a new glass slide
 With the help of a dropper, allow one drop of N/10 HCl to come in contact with the tip
of the root. Additionally, add around 2 to 3 drops of the acetocarmine stain
 Heat it lightly on the burner in such a way that the stain does not dry up
 Excessive stain can be carefully treated using filter paper
 The more stained part of the root tip can be trimmed with the help of a blade.
 Discard the lesser stained part while retaining the more stained section
 Add a droplet of water to it
 With the help of a needle, a coverslip can be mounted on it
 Gently tap the coverslip with an unsharpened end of a needle in order for the
meristematic tissue of the root tip present under the coverslip to be squashed
properly and to be straightened out as a fine cell layer
 The onion root tip cells’ slide is now prepared and ready to be examined for different
stages of mitosis
 Observe and study mitosis by placing the slide under the compound microscope.
Focus as desired to obtain a distinct and clear image

Observations and Conclusion

 The slide containing the stained root tip cells is placed on the stage of the compound
microscope, changes taking place are noted and sketched.
 The different phases of mitosis, such as prophase, metaphase, anaphase and
telophase can be observed.

EXPERIMENT NO.5

Aim
To isolate DNA from plant materials such as spinach, green peas, papaya and any other
available plant material.

Necessary Materials & Apparatus

  Any available plant materials
 Mortar and pestle
 Test tubes
 Beakers
 Ethanol
 Spool
 Enzymes (Cellulase, ribonuclease, lipases, protease)

Procedure
 Take the available plant material and grind it in the mortar.
 Treat the material with cellulase to break down the cell wall of the plant cells.
 Next, treat it with protease to hydrolyze the peptide bonds of proteins in the plant
material. In other words, the enzyme removes the histone proteins which are
intertwined with the DNA.
 Dissolve RNA with ribonuclease
 Use lipase to dissolve lipids.
 Add chilled ethanol to enable the precipitation of the DNA. It essentially increases
DNA concentration.
 Use spooling to extract the precipitated DNA. Spooling involves winding the fine
threads of DNA on to a reel.
Observation
The DNA appears as white precipitates of fine thread on the spool.