Alachlor

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)