A FE-SEM study on the tobacco leaf epidermis

The leaf epidermis of Nicotiana tabacum L. was studied using high-resolutio n field emission scanning electron microscopy. Tobacco leaf epidermis speci mens were prepared in four different ways. All preparation schedules yielde d the same results. The gross morphology of the epidermis shown by FE-SEM i s similar to that revealed in TEM work, namely a cuticular membrane and a c ell wall. The FE-SEM revealed a globular structure for the cuticular membra ne. The cell wall was found to be stratified, revealing microfibrils with a diameter of ca. 30 nm which corresponds to those of cellulose microfibrils of cell walls.