This study aimed to characterize the foliar surface and the epicuticular wax composition of the weeds Commelina benghalensis, Ipomoea grandifolia and Amaranthus hybridus. The epicuticular waxes were extracted, quantified and submitted to thin layer chromatography in order to determine the chemical composition. Central parts of the leaves were submitted to electron microscopy to characterize the adaxial and abaxial foliar surface. In A. hybridus the waxes were constituted mostly by hydrophilic substances (alcohols, steres), and absence of tricomes and glandules on the foliar surface, with a great number of stomata and waxes were in the small grains. I. grandfolia presented epicuticular waxes formedchemically by alcohols and esters and a coarse e foliar surface, without trichomess and wax crystals. In C. benahalensis, the waxes presented hydrocarbons (n-alkenes) in their chemical constitution, being relatively more hydrophobic, what can influence the lower penetration of hydrophilic herbicides such as glyphosate. The foliar surface presents trichomess and a lower number of stomata. All the stomata were recovered by epicuticular wax, being possible to observe the presence of dispersed wax on the adaxial surface. Based on the data obtained, it can be concluded that one of the tolerance mechanisms to herbicides in C. benghalensis is the differential penetration due to the chemical composition of the epicuticular waxes, which contain lipophilic components in higher concentration than the other studied species.
absorption; tolerance; glyphosate
