Product Description

Trade names for products containing imazethapyr include Contour, Hammer, Overtop, Passport, Pivot, Pursuit, Pursuit Plus, and Resolve .

REGULATORY STATUS

Imazethapyr is a general use pesticide with a toxicity classification of III (slightly toxic). Check with specific state regulations for local restrictions which may apply. Products containing imazethapyr must bear the signal word "Caution" on their label (2). It is currently being tested on alfalfa, clover and other crops in the U.S. and is being sold on these commodities outside the U.S. (3).

INTRODUCTION

Imazethapyr is an imidazole compound used as a selective herbicide. It is applied preplant incorporated, preemergence, at cracking, and postemergence. The compound controls weeds by reducing the levels of three branched-chain aliphatic amino acids, isoleucine, leucine and valine, through the inhibition of aceto-hydroxyacid synthase, an enzyme common to the biosynthetic pathway for these amino acids. This inhibition causes a disruption in protein synthesis which, in turn, leads to an interference in DNA synthesis and cell growth. The compound is used to control grasses and broadleaved weeds including barnyardgrass, crabgrass, cocklebur, panicums, pigweeds, nightshade, mustard, smartweed, velvetleaf, jimsonweed, foxtails, seedling johnsongrass, lambsquarters, morningglory and others. Tolerant crops include soybeans, peanuts, dry and edible beans, peas, alfalfa and imidazolinone resistant/tolerant corn. Additional research is being conducted on other leguminous crops .
Imazethapyr comes in aqueous concentrate formulations. It is also formulated and may be combined with other herbicides