Some potato cells were scraped and stained with iodine solution. On observing the slide under foldscope some small, clumped and some large, discrete starch grains were viewed. Also it was noticed that some grains turned blue-black, while some are reddish-brown.

As per literature, waxy starch stains red and non-waxy starch stains blue with iodine. Waxy starch is composed of branched polymer chains which stain red with iodine. Non-waxy starch contains amylose which has linear chains that stain blue with iodine.

Small and large starch grains that stained blue-black with iodine solution

Some starch grains  stained red and some stained blue-black  can be viewed

From this observation, it was concluded that the potato used had both amylose and amylopectin.

This was my first attempt using the foldscope @ GGDSD Workshop on Foldscope assembly and usage

Anshi (3rd Semester)

GGDSD College, Chandigarh

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