Acetochlor
Encyclopedia
Acetochlor is a herbicide
developed by Monsanto Company and Zeneca
. It is a member of the class of herbicides known as chloroacetanilides. Its mode of action is elongase inhibition
, and inhibition of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate
(GGPP) cyclisation enzymes, part of the gibberellin
pathway. It carries high risks of environmental contamination.
It is homologuated for pre-emergence application or for pre-planting application with soil incorporation, in corn
. (maize
) at 5 litres / hectare (1835g / hectare of a.i.) It's the main active ingredient in Acenit, Keystone, Guardian, Harness, Relay, Sacemid, Surpass, Top-Hand, Trophy and Winner.
It is used to control weed
s in corn
, and is particularly useful as a replacement for atrazine
in the case of some important weeds.
.Acetochlor, as Alachlor
, can cause nasal turbinate tumors via the generation of a common tissue reactive metabolite that leads to cytotoxicity and regenerative proliferation in the nasal epithelium.
It's also a well-established thyroid disruptor
Human health effects from acetochlor at low environmental doses or at biomonitored levels from low environmental exposures are unknown.
Acetochlor can accelerate metamorphosis in amphibians. It can also affect the development of fish.
Herbicide
Herbicides, also commonly known as weedkillers, are pesticides used to kill unwanted plants. Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired crop relatively unharmed. Some of these act by interfering with the growth of the weed and are often synthetic "imitations" of plant...
developed by Monsanto Company and Zeneca
Zeneca
Zeneca Group PLC was a multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Zeneca was formed in June 1993 by the demerger of the pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals businesses of Imperial Chemical Industries into a separate company listed on the London Stock Exchange.In 1999...
. It is a member of the class of herbicides known as chloroacetanilides. Its mode of action is elongase inhibition
Enzyme inhibitor
An enzyme inhibitor is a molecule that binds to enzymes and decreases their activity. Since blocking an enzyme's activity can kill a pathogen or correct a metabolic imbalance, many drugs are enzyme inhibitors. They are also used as herbicides and pesticides...
, and inhibition of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate
Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate
Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate is an intermediate in the HMG-CoA reductase pathway used by organisms in the biosynthesis of terpenes and terpenoids. In plants it is also the precursor to carotenoids, gibberellins, tocopherols, and chlorophylls....
(GGPP) cyclisation enzymes, part of the gibberellin
Gibberellin
Gibberellins are plant hormones that regulate growth and influence various developmental processes, including stem elongation, germination, dormancy, flowering, sex expression, enzyme induction, and leaf and fruit senescence....
pathway. It carries high risks of environmental contamination.
Uses
In the US Acetochlor was registred by the EPA as a direct substitute for many herbicides of known concern. The EPA imposed several restrictions and conditions on the use of acetochlor.It is homologuated for pre-emergence application or for pre-planting application with soil incorporation, in corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
. (maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
) at 5 litres / hectare (1835g / hectare of a.i.) It's the main active ingredient in Acenit, Keystone, Guardian, Harness, Relay, Sacemid, Surpass, Top-Hand, Trophy and Winner.
It is used to control weed
Weed
A weed in a general sense is a plant that is considered by the user of the term to be a nuisance, and normally applied to unwanted plants in human-controlled settings, especially farm fields and gardens, but also lawns, parks, woods, and other areas. More specifically, the term is often used to...
s in corn
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, and is particularly useful as a replacement for atrazine
Atrazine
Atrazine, 2-chloro-4--6--s-triazine, an organic compound consisting of an s-triazine-ring is a widely used herbicide. Its use is controversial due to widespread contamination in drinking water and its associations with birth defects and menstrual problems when consumed by humans at concentrations...
in the case of some important weeds.
Safety
Acetochlor has been classified as a probable human carcinogenCarcinogen
A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that is an agent directly involved in causing cancer. This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes...
.Acetochlor, as Alachlor
Alachlor
Alachlor is an herbicide from the chloroacetanilide family. Its mode of action is elongase inhibition, and inhibition of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate cyclisation enzymes, part of the gibberellin pathway.-Uses:...
, can cause nasal turbinate tumors via the generation of a common tissue reactive metabolite that leads to cytotoxicity and regenerative proliferation in the nasal epithelium.
It's also a well-established thyroid disruptor
Human health effects from acetochlor at low environmental doses or at biomonitored levels from low environmental exposures are unknown.
Ecologic effects
In the US Acetochlor is the third most frequently detected herbicide in natural watersAcetochlor can accelerate metamorphosis in amphibians. It can also affect the development of fish.