Alachlor is an acetanilide herbicide.1,2,3 It inhibits the growth of Avena seedlings when applied to the root medium by subirrigation at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 25 mM.1 Alachlor (3.4 kg/hectare) reduces wooly cupgrass (E. villosa) emergence by 85% in corn crop fields.2 It also reduces emergence of broadleaf signalgrass (B. platyphylla) in peanut crops when applied at planting.3 Alachlor (>1 µg/ml) induces sister chromatid exchanges and chromosome aberrations in isolated human peripheral blood lymphocytes.4 In vivo, alachlor (126 mg/kg per day) induces olfactory mucosal tumor formation in rats.5 Formulations containing alachlor have been used for weed control in agriculture.
1.Chang, T.C., Marsh, H.V., Jr., and Jennings, P.H.Effect of alachlor on Avena seedlings: Inhibition of growth and interaction with gibberellic acid and indoleacetic acidPestic. Biochem. Physiol.5(4)323-329(1975) 2.Owen, M.D.K., Hartzler, R.G., and Lux, J.Woolly cupgrass (Eriochloa villosa) control in corn (Zea mays) with chloroacetamide herbicidesWeed Technol.7(4)925-929(1993) 3.Chamblee, R.W., Thompson, L., Jr., and Bunn, T.M.Management of broadleaf signalgrass (Brachiaria platyphylla) in peanuts (Arachis hypogaea) with herbicidesWeed Sci.30(1)40-44(1982) 4.Ribas, G., SurrallÉs, J., Carbonell, E., et al.Genotoxicity of the herbicides alachlor and maleic hydrazide in cultured human lymphocytesMutagenesis11(3)221-227(1996) 5.Genter, M.B., Burman, D.M., and Bolon, B.Progression of alachlor-induced olfactory mucosal tumoursInt. J. Exp. Pathol.83(6)303-308(2002)