ARS | Publication request: Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase-Inhibiting Herbicides

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: October 15, 2009
Publication Date: February 1, 2010
Citation: Dayan, F.E., Duke, S.O. 2010. Protoporphyrinogen Oxidase-Inhibiting Herbicides. In: Hayes's Handbook of Pesticide Toxicology. R. Krieger, J. Doull, E. Hodgson, H. Maibach, L. Reiter, L. Ritter, J. Ross, W.J. Slikker and J. van Hemmen (Eds.), John Wiley and Sons, New York, NY. Vol. 2, PP 1731-1751.

Interpretive Summary: Protoporphyrinogen oxidase-inhibiting herbicides (also referred to as Protox- or PPO-inhibiting herbicides) were commercialized in the 1960s and their market share reached approximately 10% (total herbicide active ingredient output) in the late 1990’s. The wide-spread adoption of glyphosate-resistant crops has caused a significant reduction of the field application of Protox inhibitors, and these herbicides accounted for only 1.3% of the total herbicide output in the United States in 2006. Nonetheless, these herbicides are still being used and the recent emergence of glyphosate-resistant weeds may renew interest in this class of herbicides. This review covers the commercially available Protox inhibitors, their mode of action, and their environmental and toxicological profiles.

Technical Abstract: Protoporphyrinogen oxidase-inhibiting herbicides (also referred to as Protox- or PPO-inhibiting herbicides) were commercialized in the 1960s and their market share reached approximately 10% (total herbicide active ingredient output) in the late 1990’s. The wide-spread adoption of glyphosate-resistant crops has caused a significant reduction of the field application of Protox inhibitors, and these herbicides accounted for only 1.3% of the total herbicide output in the United States in 2006. Nonetheless, these herbicides are still being used and the recent emergence of glyphosate-resistant weeds may renew interest in this class of herbicides. This review covers the commercially available Protox inhibitors, their mode of action, and their environmental and toxicological profiles.