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Herbicide Classification Guide

Rotate herbicides that target a different site of action in weeds to prevent herbicide resistance from developing. The herbicides in each “GROUP” below uses a different site of action. Note that even herbicides from different chemical families may be in the same group. To use the tool below, click on “GROUP” or use the Search function.

	Chemical Family	Common Name	Trade Name

Site of Action

Group 1

Acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACCase) inhibitors

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
aryloxyphenoxy-propanoates	clodinafop	Discover NG
	diclofop	Hoelon
	fenoxaprop	Puma, Acclaim
	fluazifop	Fusilade DX
	quizalofop	Assure II, Targa
cyclohexanediones	clethodim	Select Max, Envoy, several others
	sethoxydim	Poast, several others
	tralkoxydim	Achieve
phenylpyrazoline	pinoxaden	Axial

Group 2

Acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
imidazolinones	imazamox	Raptor, Beyond, Clearmax (Beyond + MCPA)
	imazapic	Plateau, others
	imazapyr	Arsenal, Chopper, several others
	imazethapyr	Pursuit, others
sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinones	flucarbazone	Everest, others
sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinones	propoxycarbazone	Olympus
sulfonylureas	chlorsulfuron	Glean, Telar
	halosulfuron	Sandea, others
	mesosulfuron	Osprey
	mesosulfuron/ propoxycarbazone	Olympus Flex
	metsulfuron	Ally, Escort, Cimarron, others
	nicosulfuron	Accent, others
	primisulfuron	Beacon, others
	prosulfuron	Peak, Spirit
	rimsulfuron	Matrix, others
	sulfometuron	Oust, Spyder, others
	sulfosulfuron	Maverick, Outrider, Certainty
	thifensulfuron	Harmony, others
	thifensulfuron/ tribenuron	Harmony Extra, Affinity
	triasulfuron	Amber, others
	tribenuron	Express, others
	triflusulfuron	UpBeet
triazolopyrimidines	florasulam	Orion (contains MCPA), others
triazolopyrimidines	pyroxsulam	GoldSky (contains florasulam & fluroxypyr), PowerFlex

Group 3

Microtubule assembly inhibitors

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
benzamides	pronamide	Kerb
dinitroanalines	benefin	Balan, others
	ethalfluralin	Sonalan, others
	oryzalin	Surflan, others
	pendimethalin	Prowl H2O, Pendulum, several others
	prodiamine	Barricade, Endurance, several others
	trifluralin	Treflan, others

Group 4

Synthetic auxins

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
benzoic acids	dicamba	Banvel, Clarity, several others
phenoxy acetic acids	2,4-D	several
	2,4-DB	several
	MCP	several
	mecoprop (MCPP)	several
pyridines	aminopyralid	Milestone, several others
	clopyralid	Stinger, others
	fluroxypyr	Starane, others
	picloram	Tordon K, Tordon 22K
	triclopyr	Garlon, Remedy, Renovate
quinoline carboxylic acids	quinclorac	Paramount, Drive, others

Group 5

Photosystem II inhibitors

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
as-triazines	hexazinone	Velpar, others
as-triazines	metribuzin	Sencor, others
triazines	atrazine	AAtrex, others
triazines	simazine	Princep, Simazine
uracils	bromacil	Hyvar X, others
uracils	terbacil	Sinbar

Group 6

Photosystem II inhibitors (same site as groups 5 and 7 but different binding behavior)

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
benzothiadiazoles	bentazon	Basagran
nitriles	bromoxynil	Buctril, Bromox, Bronate (contains MCPA), several others

Group 7

Photosystem II inhibitors (same site as groups 5 and 6 but different binding behavior)

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
ureas	diuron	Karmex, Direx, others
	linuron	Lorox, Linex, Layby Pro (Contains Diuron)
	tebuthiuron	Spike, others

Group 8

Lipid synthesis inhibitors but not ACCase inhibitors

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
thiocarbamates	cycloate	Ro-Neet
	EPTC	Eptam, Imperium
	EPTC + safener	Eradicane
	triallate	Far-Go, Avadex, Buckle

Group 9

EPSP synthase inhibitors

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
glycines	glyphosate	Roundup, several others

Site of Action

Group 10

Glutamine synthase inhibitors

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
phosphinic acids	glufosinate	Ignite, Rely, Liberty, several others

Group 14

Inhibitors of protoporphyrinogen oxidase (Protox)

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
aryl-triazones	carfentrazone	Aim, several others
aryl-triazones	sulfentrazone	Spartan, others
diphenylethers	oxyfluorfen	Goal, several others
	acifluorfen	Blazer, Status, Tackle
	fomesafen	Reflex, Flexstar, Flex
	lactofen	Cobra
N-phenylphthalimides	flumiclorac	Resource
N-phenylphthalimides	flumioxazin	Chateau, Valor, others
pyrazoles	pyraflufen	ET, Edict
pyrimidinedione	saflufenacil	Sharpen
thiadiazole	fluthiacet	Cadet

Group 15

Inhibitors of very-long chain fatty acid synthesis

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
acetamides	napropamide	Devrinol
chloroacetamides	acetochlor	Harness, Surpass, several others
	alachlor	MicroTech, several others
	dimethenamid(-p)	Outlook, others
	metolachlor	Stalwart, Dual, others
Isoxazoline	pyroxasulfone	Anthem (contains fluthiacet), Fierce (contains flumioxazin, Zidua
oxyacetamides	flufenacet	Define, Axiom (contains metribuzin)

Group 16

Unknown

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
benzofuranes	ethofumesate	Nortron, several others

Group 17

Unknown

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
organoarsenicals	MSMA	several

Group 20

Inhibitors of cell wall synthesis site A

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
nitriles	dichlobenil	Casoron, others

Group 22

Photosystem I electron diverters

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
bipyridiliums	diquat	Reglone, others
bipyridiliums	paraquat	Gramoxone Inteon, several others

Group 26

Unknown

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
carboxylic acids	pelargonic acid	Scythe

Group 27

Inhibitors of 4-HPPD* *hydroxyphenylpyruvatedioxygenase

Herbicide chemical family	Herbicide common name	Herbicide trade names
isoxazoles	pyrasulfotole	Huskie (contains bromoxynil)
triketones	mesotrione	Callisto, others
triketones	topramezone	Impact, Frequency

NovaSource, Linex, Layby Pro, Lorox and Sinbar are trademarks of Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc. Other brands and trade names listed here are not trademarks of Tessenderlo Kerley, Inc., but are the trademarks of their manufacturers and/or distributors. Herbicide rotation chart reprinted with permission from Campbell, J., C. Mallory-Smith, A. Hulting, and D. Thill. 2011. Herbicide-Resistant Weeds and Their Management. PNW 437. University of Idaho Extension, Moscow.

​Herbicide Classification Guide

Herbicide Classification Guide