Is dimethylsulfoxide a reliable solvent for extracting chlorophyll under field conditions?

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) appears to be a reliable solvent for extracting chlorophyll (Chl), however, modification of standard methods may be necessary for some species under field conditions. We found that Chl extraction of whole leaf tissue with DMSO incubated at between 25 and 40 degrees C was generally similar to the 80% acetone method, except for one graminoid species that required maceration. There was little effect of incubation temperature or duration of incubation beyond 7 h on extraction efficiency, but DMSO extracts were less stable than acetone extracts during one week of cold storage, especially if they thawed during this period. Since Chl extraction methods may provide variable results, particularly in the field, studies using different solvents should be compared cautiously unless specific methods have been calibrated.