Chemical Composition and Morphology of Epicuticular Waxes from Leaves of Solanum tuberosum

The chem ical com position and m orphology of leaf surface waxes of Solanum tuberosum were analysed using FT -IR . G L C and MS studies. T here is a predom inance of sa tu rated and long chained com ponents resulting in a crystalline wax layer in the form of ribbons, n -alkanes are a m ajo r constituen t with C 3I being p rom inen t. Wax esters and 5-alcohols form the o th e r m ajor com ponents. W ax com position o f five o th er solanaceous plants, viz., Solanum eleagnifolium, Lycopersicon esculentum, Nicotiana tabacum, Datura stromonium and Solanum nigrum w ere com pared with those of p o ta to using T LC techniques and do not show any qualitative differences.