Cyperus difformis L. is a weed that occurs in flooded rice, which has presented difficulty in controlling due to the resistance to ALS inhibiting herbicides. The objectives of this research were to investigate kinetic characteristics of ALS enzyme from C. difformis biotypes and to determine the biochemical bases of resistance from the species to pyrazosulfuron-ethyl herbicide. For that, experiments were conducted at the BIOAGRO/UFV laboratory. The method used was based on the methodology used by CAREY et al. (1997) and adapted by VARGAS et al. (1999), with some modifications. It was evaluated substratum concentration (pyruvate) that provides initial velocity equal to half the speed reaction (K M) and maximum velocity of reaction (Vmáx), as well the activity of the ALS enzyme in the presence of the inhibitor (pyrazosulfuron-ethyl). According to the results, it is possible to observe that C. difformis resistance to pyrazosulfuron-ethyl is due to the insensibility of the ALS enzyme to the herbicide, however without penalty to K M and Vmáx kinetic parameters of the ALS enzyme.
acetolactate synthase; enzyme; flooded rice; smallflower umbrella sedge
