Scanning electron micrography and Transmission electron micrography studies were performed on the surfaces of stem(coleoptiles) of rice and barnyardgrass under various cropping patterns at 5 days after seeding or transplanting. Stem surfaces of rice under dry condition possessed rodlet-like epicuticular waxes, trichomes, stomata and cork cell layer in both broadcast and drilled rice while barnyardgrass had only thread-like epicuticular waxes, but trichomes, stomata and cork cell layers were not found. However, rice under water condition has no rodlet-like waxes, stomata and cork cells, and barnyardgrass was similar to that under dry condition. On the other hand, those on stems of 8-day and 25-day transplanted rice were well arranged and developed compared with those of direct seeded rice. Electron micrography showed significant difference in thickness of outer epidermal cell walls of rice and barnyardgrass under dry, water and transplanting condition. Thickness of outer epidermal cell was greater in transplanted rice, dry direct seeded rice, water-direct seeded rice and barnyardgrass in descending order.