In testing for starch in a leaf, the leaf is boiled in alcohol to
Answer Details
Boiling the leaf in alcohol is done to decolourise it. This process is necessary because chlorophyll, the green pigment in the leaf, can interfere with the test for starch. By boiling the leaf in alcohol, the chlorophyll is extracted, leaving behind a white or pale-yellow leaf. This makes it easier to detect the presence of starch in the leaf using a test solution, such as iodine.