MECHANISMS OF DEPOSITION OF EPICUTICULAR WAX IN LEAVES OF BROCCOLI, BRASSICA-OLERACEA L VAR CAPITATA L

Broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata L.) leaf waxes were label led with 2-C-14acetate and examined during synthesis and deposition using microautoradiography. Waxes were viewed with light microscopy an d scanning electron microscopy (SEM), including cryo-SEM. In microauto radiography, silver grains resulting from radioactive decay of labelle d waxes seemed to be distributed randomly throughout the cuticle. This random distribution supports the hypothesis of diffusion or complex a nastomosing pores as the mechanism of epicuticular wax deposition. The hypothesis of wax-depositing pores running perpendicular to the leaf surface is not supported.