CN105792649B

CN105792649B - Herbicidal composition containing triazinone herbicide and ALS inhibitor herbicide and use thereof

Info

Publication number: CN105792649B
Application number: CN201480064748.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 詹姆斯·T·布里斯托
Original assignee: Long Deng Agricultural Chemical International Co ltd
Current assignee: Jiangsu Rotam Chemical Co Ltd
Priority date: 2013-11-28
Filing date: 2014-10-16
Publication date: 2021-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 2034-10-16
Also published as: BR102013030594B1; BR102013030594A2; TWI655903B; AR098405A1; CN105792649A; WO2015078243A1; TW201519768A

Abstract

The invention discloses a herbicide composition containing ALS inhibitor herbicide and triazinone herbicide, which can reduce the phytotoxicity of the ALS inhibitor herbicide to crops.

Description

Herbicidal composition containing triazinone herbicide and ALS inhibitor herbicide and use thereof

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method for controlling the growth of harmful plants by using a herbicide composition containing an ALS inhibitor herbicide and a triazinone herbicide.

Background

Harmful plant growth can lead to a substantial reduction in crop yield. Therefore, it is very important to achieve crop harvest and control the growth of harmful plants, and to continuously control the harmful plants in the field.

ALS inhibitor herbicides can be used to control unwanted plant growth. For example, the ALS inhibitor-type herbicides include sulfonylurea herbicides such as amidosulfuron (amidosulfuron), azimsulfuron (azimsulfuron), bensulfuron (bensululfuron), chlorimuron (chlorimuron), cyclosulfamuron (cyclosulfamuron), ethoxysulfuron (ethysulfuron), flazasulfuron (flazasulfuron), flupyrazosulfuron (fluetsululfuron), flusulfamiron (flusulfamiron), foramsulfuron (formamsulfuron), halosulfuron (halosulfuron), flumuron (flumuron), sulfosulfuron (sulfamuron (triflusulfuron), sulfosulfuron (sulfamuron), sulfosulfuron (sulfamuron), sulfosulfuron) (sulfamuron), sulfosulfuron (sulfamuron), sulfosulfuron (sulfamuron), sulfosulfuron (sulfamuron), sulfosulfuron (sulfamuron), sulfosulfuron (sulfamuron), sulfamuron (sulfamuron, Ethametsulfuron, iodosulfuron, thiefensulfuron, thifensulfuron, triasulfuron, tribenuron-methyl, triflusulfuron, metsulfuron-methyl, chlorimuron-ethyl, sulfosulfuron, sulfometuron-methyl, sulfosulfuron-ethyl, sulfosulfuron-methyl, sulfopyrosulfuron-methyl, sulfosulfuron-methyl, sulfometuron-methyl, and sulfometuron-methyl.

The above herbicides, their production processes, herbicide compositions containing them and their use as herbicides are known in The art, for example, in The Pesticide Manual, ninth edition (1991), The British Crop protection commission, 1991, The British Crop protection Council, London; new Product Review of Ag chemistry (Ag Chem New Product Review), Ag chemical Information Services (Ag Chem Information Services), Indianapolis (Indianapolis, Ind.), and the like.

However, ALS inhibitor herbicides, such as sulfonylurea herbicides, may be phytotoxic to crops. Sunflower is one of the crops susceptible to ALS inhibitor herbicides and is associated with symptoms of retarded apical bud development, discoloration and root cutting (Alonso-Prados et al, 2002). The phytotoxicity of herbicides slows down the growth of the crop and even causes its death. Thus, there is a need for a composition which is non-phytotoxic or low phytotoxic and which is highly effective in controlling the growth of harmful plants.

Surprisingly, it has now been found that herbicidal compositions according to the present invention comprising a triazinone herbicide and an ALS inhibitor herbicide reduce the phytotoxicity of the ALS inhibitor herbicide on crops (such as feed crops, e.g. sugar cane) without reducing its efficacy in controlling the growth of harmful plants.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention therefore relates to a method of controlling the growth of undesirable vegetation and reducing the phytotoxicity of ALS inhibitor herbicides to crops which comprises applying to the crop or locus thereof a composition comprising a triazinone herbicide and an ALS inhibitor herbicide.

"phytotoxicity" in the context of the present invention relates to the effect of all herbicides which hinder the normal development of crops. The phytotoxicity of herbicides may inhibit crop growth and even cause crop death. Thus, to maintain crop health, herbicides with no or low phytotoxicity are needed.

The triazinone herbicides containing ALS inhibitor herbicides can be applied sequentially or simultaneously in any desired sequence and combination. The co-application of the triazinone herbicide with the ALS inhibitor herbicide can be achieved by: obtained from separate formulation sources and mixed together (known as tank mix, premix, broth spray or slurry) and optionally other pesticides such as other fungicides, insecticides and nematicides are added or obtained from a single formulation mixture source (known as premix, concentrate, combination (or product)) and optionally other pesticides such as other fungicides, insecticides and nematicides are mixed in.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a herbicidal composition comprising the following components:

(A) a triazinone herbicide; and

(B) ALS inhibitor herbicides;

among other things, triazinone herbicides reduce the phytotoxicity of ALS inhibitor herbicides to crops.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of reducing the phytotoxicity of an ALS inhibitor herbicide to a crop, the method comprising:

applying to a crop or locus thereof a herbicide composition comprising:

(A) a triazinone herbicide; and

(B) ALS inhibitor herbicides.

In some embodiments, the triazinone herbicides disclosed herein may be selected from the group consisting of amicarbazone (ametridione), amicarbazone (amibuzin), ethiozine (ethiozin), hexazinone (hexazinone), butazinone (isomethizin), metamitron (metamitron), and metribuzin (metribuzin). Hexazinones are herbicides that can be used to control annual and biennial weeds.

In other embodiments, the ALS inhibitors disclosed herein have broad spectrum herbicidal activity against both broadleaf weeds and grassy weeds. Depending on the specific structure of the compound, there is a wide range of selectivity for individual crops.

The ALS inhibitor herbicide may be a sulfonylurea herbicide such as sulfosulfuron, metsulfuron (metsulfuron), metsulfuron-methyl, ethametsulfuron, nicosulfuron, triasulfuron, primisulfuron, bensulfuron-methyl, chlorimuron-ethyl, chlorsulfuron, thifensulfuron-methyl, tribenuron-methyl, triflusulfuron-methyl, sulfosulfuron-free acid (clopyrasulfuron), pyrazosulfuron-ethyl, sulfosulfuron-methyl and sulfometuron-methyl; sulfonamide herbicides such as flumetsulam (flumetsulam); and imidazolinone herbicides such as imazaquin (imazaquin), imazamethabenz (imazamethabenz z), imazapyr (imazapyr), imazapyr (imazmethapyr), and imazapyr (imazethapyr).

Sulfonylurea herbicides are a class of compounds used in agriculture to control harmful plants, and are characterized by high herbicidal activity and low toxicity to humans and animals. They generally comprise a sulfonylurea chain (-SO)₂NHCONH-) is connected with two aromatic hydrocarbon rings or aromatic heterocyclic rings. Sulfometuron-methyl is a commercially available sulfonylurea herbicide used to control industrial weeds, roadside and on-rail weeds, and as a sugar cane ripener. Metsulfuron-methyl is a sulfonylurea herbicide used for preventing and controlling several annual and perennial broadleaf weeds in wheat, barley, rice and oat fieldsAnd (4) grass.

The ALS inhibitor in the invention is preferably metsulfuron-methyl, sulfometuron-methyl and sulfometuron-methyl. The triazinone herbicides of the present invention are preferably hexazinones. A particularly preferred combination is therefore hexazinone with metsulfuron-methyl; hexazinone and sulfometuron-methyl; and hexazinone and sulfometuron-methyl.

In general, the application rate of the herbicide composition will depend on the particular active ingredient in the composition, the weed species, the crop species, the soil type, the season, the climate, the soil ecology, and various other factors. The rate at which the composition is applied under certain conditions can be readily determined by testing.

Comprising component (A) a triazinone herbicide; the application rate of the herbicide composition of (a) and (B) the ALS inhibitor herbicide may be about 50 to 6000g/ha, 50 to 3000g/ha, 100 to 2000g/ha, 100 to 1000g/ha, 200 to 1000g/ha, 300 to 1000g/ha, 400 to 800g/ha, 400 to 600g/ha, or 450 g/ha. In some embodiments of the invention, the herbicide composition comprising hexazinone and metsulfuron-methyl, sulfometuron-methyl or sulfometuron-methyl is applied at a rate in the range of 300 to 1000g/ha, 400 to 800g/ha, 400 to 600g/ha or 450 g/ha.

Typically, for co-application, the rate of application of the triazinone herbicide is from 250 to 6000g/ha, or from 250 to 3000g/ha, or especially from 300 to 2000g/ha, or from 300 to 1000g/ha, or from 300 to 600 g/ha; the ALS inhibitor herbicides are applied at a rate of from 5 to 630g/ha, especially from 30 to 150 g/ha. In other embodiments of the invention, the hexazinone is applied at a rate of 300 to 600g/ha and metsulfuron-methyl, sulfometuron-methyl or sulfometuron-methyl is applied at a rate of 30 to 150g/ha for co-application. In some embodiments of the invention, for co-application, the hexazinone is applied at a rate of 300 to 500g/ha and the metsulfuron-methyl, sulfometuron-methyl or sulfometuron-methyl is applied at a rate of 30 to 80 g/ha.

Typically, the weight ratio of the triazinone herbicide to the ALS inhibitor herbicide ranges from 25:1 to 1:25, 10:1 to 1:10, 7:1 to 1:7, or 3:1 to 1: 3. In some embodiments of the invention, the weight ratio of the triazinone herbicide to the ALS inhibitor herbicide is 25:1, 10:1, 7:1, 3:1, 2:1 or 1: 1. In other embodiments of the invention, the weight ratio of the triazinone herbicide to the ALS inhibitor herbicide is 1:25, 1:10, 1:7, 1:3, 1:2 or 1: 1. In some embodiments of the invention, the weight ratio of the triazinone herbicide to the ALS-inhibiting herbicide may be 10: 1. In other embodiments of the present invention, the weight ratio of hexazinone to metsulfuron-methyl, sulfometuron-methyl or sulfometuron-methyl ranges from 25:1 to 1:25, 10:1 to 1:10, 7:1 to 1:7 or 3:1 to 1: 3. In some embodiments of the invention, the weight ratio of hexazinone to metsulfuron-methyl, sulfometuron-methyl, or sulfometuron-methyl is 10: 1.

In some embodiments of the invention, the total amount of component (a) and component (B) comprises from 5% to 99% by weight of the herbicidal composition, preferably from 50% to 99%, from 70% to 99%, from 80% to 99% or from 80% to 90%.

The herbicidal composition may also include one or more agriculturally acceptable adjuvants. The adjuvants used in the compositions and the amounts used depend on the type of agent employed by the end user and/or the mode of administration of the agent. Suitable auxiliaries are the customary pharmaceutical auxiliaries or ingredients, such as dispersants, wetting agents, extenders, carriers, solvents, surfactants, stabilizers, defoamers, antifreeze agents, preservatives, antioxidants, colorants, thickeners, solid binders and inert fillers. Such adjuvants are known in the art and are commercially available. Those skilled in the art are familiar with how to use these adjuvants in the formulation of the compositions of the present invention.

The herbicidal compositions of the present invention may comprise one or more dispersants. Suitable dispersants known in the art are commercially available. Examples of suitable dispersants include, but are not limited to,

1494. sodium lignosulfonates, sulfonated aromatic polymers, sodium salts, and fatty alcohol polyglycol ethers.

The herbicidal compositions of the present invention may comprise one or more wetting agents. Suitable humectants are known in the art and are commercially available. Examples of suitable wetting agents include, but are not limited to, sodium N-methyl N-oleoyl taurate, octylphenoxy polyethoxyethanol, nonylphenoxy polyethoxyethanol, sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate, sodium dodecyl benzyl sulfonate, sodium lauryl sulfonate, sodium alkyl naphthalene sulfonate, sodium sulfonated alkyl carboxylate, and sodium alkyl naphthalene sulfonate.

The herbicidal compositions of the present invention may comprise one or more solvents. The solvent may be organic or inorganic. Suitable solvents are those customary in the art which completely dissolve the agrochemical active substances used. Suitable solvents are known in the art and are commercially available. Examples of suitable solvents include water, aromatic solvents such as xylene (e.g. as Solvesso)^TMSolvent products sold), mineral oils, animal oils, vegetable oils; alcohols such as methanol, butanol, pentanol and benzyl alcohol; ketones, such as cyclohexanone and gamma-butyrolactone; pyrrolidones, such as NMP and NOP; acetates such as ethylene glycol diacetate; glycols; fatty acid dimethylamides; fatty acids and fatty acid esters.

The herbicidal composition may also comprise one or more surfactants. Suitable surfactants known in the art include, but are not limited to, alkali metal, alkaline earth metal and ammonium salts of lignosulfonic acid, naphthalenesulfonic acid, phenolsulfonic acid, dibutylnaphthalenesulfonic acid, alkylarylsulfonates, alkylsulfates, alkylsulfonates, arylsulfonates, fatty alcohol sulfates, fatty acids and sulfated fatty alcohol glycol ethers, furthermore condensates of sulfonated naphthalenes and naphthalene derivatives with formaldehyde, condensates of naphthalene or naphthalenesulfonic acids with phenol, octylphenol, nonylphenol, alkylphenyl polyglycol ethers, tributylphenyl polyglycol ether, condensates of tristearylphenyl polyglycol ether, alkylaryl polyether alcohols, alcohol and fatty alcohol/ethylene oxide condensates, ethoxylated castor oil, polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers, ethoxylated polyoxypropylene, lauryl alcohol polyglycol ether acetal, sorbitol esters, lignosulfite waste liquors and block copolymers of methylcellulose and ethylene oxide/propylene oxide. Suitable surfactants are commercially available.

The herbicidal compositions of the present invention may also comprise one or more polymeric stabilizers. Suitable polymeric stabilizers that may be used in the present invention include, but are not limited to, polypropylene, polyisobutylene, polyisoprene, copolymers of mono-and diolefins, polyacrylates, polystyrene, polyvinyl acetate, polyurethanes, or polyamides. Suitable stabilizers known in the art are commercially available.

The herbicidal compositions of the present invention may also contain one or more defoamers. Suitable antifoams include antifoam materials which are conventionally used for this purpose in agrochemical compositions and are familiar to the person skilled in the art. Suitable antifoams are known agents in the art and are commercially available. The antifoam is particularly preferably a mixture of polydimethylsiloxane and perfluoroalkylphosphonic acid, such as silicone antifoam (e.g.from GE or Compton). For example, another antifoaming agent is fatty acid, tallow, sodium salt.

The herbicidal compositions of the present invention may also comprise one or more preservatives. Suitable preservatives include those commonly used for this purpose in agrochemical compositions of this type and are also known agents in the art. Suitable preservatives that may be mentioned herein include

(e.g., from Bayer AG) and

(e.g., from Bayer AG).

The herbicidal compositions of the present invention may also comprise one or more antioxidants. Suitable antioxidants are the antioxidant substances commonly used for this purpose in agrochemical compositions and are known agents in the art. For example, butylated hydroxytoluene is preferred.

The herbicidal compositions of the present invention may also comprise one or more solid binders. Such binders are known agents in the art and are commercially available. They include organic binders, including tackifiers such as powdered, granular or crystalline substituted, natural and synthetic polymeric celluloses, and inorganic binders such as gypsum, silica or cement.

The herbicidal compositions of the present invention may also contain one or more inert fillers. These inert fillers are agents known in the art and are commercially available. Suitable fillers include, for example, natural ground minerals such as kaolin, alumina, talc, chalk, quartz, attapulgite, montmorillonite, diatomaceous earth or synthetic ground minerals such as highly disperse silicic acid, alumina, silicates and calcium phosphates and calcium hydrogen phosphates. Suitable particles of inert filler include, for example, crushed and fractionated natural minerals, such as calcite, marble, pumice, sepiolite, dolomite, or synthetic particles of inorganic and organic ground minerals, as well as particles of organic materials, such as sawdust, coconut shells, corn cobs and tobacco stalks. Examples of inert fillers also include sodium tripolyphosphate and sucrose.

The herbicidal compositions of the present invention may also comprise one or more thickeners. Suitable thickeners include thickening materials commonly used for this purpose in agrochemical compositions. Examples of suitable thickeners include gums such as xanthan gum, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose and its derivatives, hydrated clay silicates, magnesium aluminum silicates or mixtures thereof. Likewise, these thickeners are known in the art and are commercially available.

The herbicidal composition of the present invention may be in various formulation forms such as soluble Solution (SL), Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC), aqueous Emulsion (EW), Microemulsion (ME), Suspension (SC), oil suspension (OD), aqueous suspension for seed treatment (FS), water dispersible granule (WG), water Soluble Granule (SG), Wettable Powder (WP), water Soluble Powder (SP), Granule (GR), micro-Capsule Granule (CG), Fine Granule (FG), macrogranule (GG), Suspoemulsion (SE), micro-Capsule Suspension (CS) and Microgranule (MG). In some embodiments of the invention, the type of agent of the herbicidal composition is water dispersible granules (WG). Depending on the type of agent, the composition of the invention may also comprise water.

A herbicide composition comprising (A) a triazinone herbicide and (B) an ALS inhibitor herbicide, which can be applied to crops to control weeds, and which can reduce the phytotoxicity of the ALS inhibitor herbicide. Herbicidal compositions containing hexazinone and metsulfuron-methyl, sulfometuron-methyl or sulfometuron-methyl can be applied to crops to control weeds, while hexazinone can reduce the phytotoxicity of metsulfuron-methyl, sulfometuron-methyl or sulfometuron-methyl.

The crops include grains such as wheat, barley, rye, oats, rice, corn, sorghum, millet and cassava; beets, such as sugar beet and fodder beet; fruits such as pomes, stone fruits and soft fruits, such as apples, pears, plums, peaches, almonds, cherries or berries, such as strawberries, raspberries and blackberries; leguminous plants, such as beans, lentils, peas and soybeans; oil plants, such as rape, mustard, poppy, olive, sunflower, coconut, castor, cocoa beans and peanuts; cucurbitaceae plants such as cucurbits, cucumbers and melons; fiber plants such as cotton, flax, hemp, jute, and the like; citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits and mandarins; vegetables such as spinach, lettuce, asparagus, cabbage, carrot, onion, tomato, potato and red pepper; lauraceae, such as avocado, cinnamon, camphor; and tobacco, nuts, coffee, eggplant, sugarcane, tea, pepper, grapes, hops, bananas, natural rubber plants, eucalyptus, and ornamental plants. Particularly preferred plants are cereals, legumes and fiber plants. A particularly preferred crop plant is sugarcane.

The herbicidal compositions of the present invention are effective in controlling unwanted plant growth, such as (but not limited to):

chickweed (Chickweed), Crabgrass (Crabgrass), eupatorium japonicum (Dogfennel), Fescue (Fescue), weeds (willow (welloweed)), Yellow flowers (Goldenrod), small White wine grasses (Horseweed), bluegrass (Kentucky bluegrass), sedge (nutswege) (Yellow), broomcorn (broad leaf, autumn, narrow row), pokeberry (Pokeweed), Ragweed (Ragweed), Shepherd's purse, White snake root (White snake root) and Yellow sweet clover (Yellow sweet clover).

The following examples describe the practical application of the present invention.

Example 1 growth inhibition

Test mixtures 1-9 were prepared by: the finely ground components (A) and (B) with different components are mixed with an auxiliary agent closely, ground by a superfine grinder and extruded and granulated by paste to obtain the water dispersible granule.The auxiliary agent comprises polyvinyl alcohol (2% w/w),

1494 (sodium salt of cresol-formaldehyde condensate) (5% w/w) and kaolin. The water dispersible granules are then diluted with water to any desired concentration.

The sugarcane is planted on a seedling bed of a special turf growth substrate for high-quality crops and cultivated in a greenhouse. When the material germinated and grew to about 4 inches, one of the test mixtures was sprayed on a separate crop nursery bed at a preset application rate.

After the crops are treated by the test mixture, the seedling bed is placed in a greenhouse environment for about one week to promote the growth of the crops. After one week, the height of the crops in the seedling bed is detected, and the growth inhibition rate of the sugarcane is determined. The results of the measurements are shown in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 growth inhibition

Example 2 defoliation

Test mixtures 10-19 were prepared by: the finely ground components (A) and (B) with different parts are mixed with the auxiliary agent closely, ground by a superfine grinder and extruded and granulated by paste to obtain the water dispersible granule. The auxiliary agent comprises polyvinyl alcohol (2% w/w),

1494 (5% w/w) and kaolin. The water dispersible granules are then diluted with water to any desired concentration.

The sugarcane is planted on a seedling bed of a special turf growth substrate for high-quality crops and cultivated in a greenhouse. When the crop germinated and grew to about 4 inches, one of the test mixtures 10-19 was sprayed on a separate crop nursery bed at a preset application rate (in grams of active ingredient per hectare (g ai/ha)).

After the crops are treated by the test mixture, the seedling bed is placed around in a greenhouse environment to promote the growth of the crops. And after four weeks, detecting the seedling bed, calculating the number of the residual leaves, and determining the leaf falling rate of the sugarcane crops. One leaf was dropped from the control group. The results of the measurements are shown in Table 2 below.

TABLE 2 fallen leaves

Example 3 phytotoxicity rating

Test mixtures 20-29 were prepared by: the finely ground components (A) and (B) with different parts are mixed with the auxiliary agent closely, ground by a superfine grinder and extruded and granulated by paste to obtain the water dispersible granule. The auxiliary agent comprises polyvinyl alcohol (2% w/w),

The sugarcane is planted on a seedling bed of a special turf growth substrate for high-quality crops and cultivated in a greenhouse. When the crop germinated and grew to about 4 inches, one of the test mixtures 20-29 was sprayed on separate crop nursery beds at a preset application rate (in grams of active ingredient per acre (g ai/ha)).

After the test mixture is applied to the crops, the seedling bed is placed in a greenhouse environment for about one week to promote the growth of the crops. After one week, phytotoxicity was visually observed. Phytotoxicity ratings ranged from 0 to 5. (5 ═ severe phytotoxicity, i.e., leaves and stems appear dark yellow, burnt yellow or withered spots; 0 ═ no phytotoxicity). The results of the tests are shown in Table three below.

TABLE 3 phytotoxicity rating

Example 4 Effect of test mixtures

Test compositions 30-33 in table 4 were prepared by: different amounts are addedThe finely ground components (A) and (B) are intimately mixed with an auxiliary agent, ground by an ultrafine grinder, and then paste-extruded and granulated to obtain the water dispersible granule. The auxiliary agent comprises polyvinyl alcohol (2% w/w),

The sugarcane is planted on a seedling bed of a special turf growth substrate for high-quality crops. The weed species and their relative densities were recorded and are reported in table 5 below. After 40 days of planting, the test mixtures were applied at a preset application rate (calculated as grams of active ingredient per hectare (gai/ha)).

After the crops were treated with the test mixture, the nursery bed was left for about two weeks. After two weeks, the nursery bed was examined to determine the effectiveness of the test mixture. The results of the measurements are shown in Table 6 below.

TABLE 4 test mixtures

TABLE 5 weed types

Weed type	Relative density (%)
		Chickweed	30
Tang style food	20
		Rhizoma Cyperi	25
Panicum genus	25

TABLE 6 effectiveness (%)

All publications, patents and patent applications cited in the specification of the present application are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety for all purposes to the same extent as if each individual publication, patent or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Although the foregoing invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the teachings of this invention that certain changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An herbicidal composition comprising an active ingredient consisting solely of a combination of (a) a triazinone herbicide that reduces the phytotoxicity of ALS inhibitor herbicides to crops and (B) an ALS inhibitor herbicide, wherein the combination of components (a) and (B) in the composition is selected from the group consisting of:

(1) hexazinone + metsulfuron-methyl;

(2) hexazinone + etherfensulfuron-methyl;

(3) metribuzin + metsulfuron-methyl;

(4) metribuzin + sulfosulfuron;

(5) metribuzin + sulfometuron-methyl;

(6) metamitron + metsulfuron-methyl;

(7) metamitron + sulfometuron-methyl; and

(8) metamitron + sulfometuron-methyl;

wherein the weight ratio of component (A) to component (B) is from 25:1 to 3: 1.

2. A herbicidal composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the total amount of component (a) and component (B) represents 5 to 99% by weight of the herbicidal composition.

3. A herbicidal composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the total amount of component (a) and component (B) represents 50 to 99% by weight of the herbicidal composition.

4. A herbicidal composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the total amount of component (a) and component (B) represents 70 to 99% by weight of the herbicidal composition.

5. A herbicidal composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the total amount of component (a) and component (B) represents 80 to 99% by weight of the herbicidal composition.

6. A herbicidal composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the total amount of component (a) and component (B) represents 80 to 90% by weight of the herbicidal composition.

7. A herbicidal composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the application rate of component (a) is 50 to 6000g/ha and the application rate of component (B) is 5 to 630 g/ha.

8. A herbicidal composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is in the form of a soluble Solution (SL), Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC), aqueous Emulsion (EW), Suspension (SC), oil suspension (OD), aqueous suspension for seed treatment (FS), water dispersible granule (WG), water Soluble Granule (SG), Wettable Powder (WP), water Soluble Powder (SP), Granule (GR), micro-Capsule Granule (CG), Fine Granule (FG), macro-granule (GG), micro-granule (MG), micro-emulsion (ME), Suspoemulsion (SE), micro-Capsule Suspension (CS).

9. A herbicidal composition according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the component (a) is a hexazinone; and the component (B) is metsulfuron-methyl.

10. A herbicidal composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the crop is sugar cane.

11. A method of reducing phytotoxicity of an ALS inhibitor herbicide to a crop, the method comprising:

applying to the crop or the locus thereof a herbicidal composition comprising active ingredients consisting only of a combination of (A) a triazinone herbicide and (B) an ALS inhibitor herbicide,

wherein the combination of components (A) and (B) in the composition is:

(1) hexazinone + metsulfuron-methyl;

(2) hexazinone + etherfensulfuron-methyl;

(3) metribuzin + metsulfuron-methyl;

(4) metribuzin + sulfosulfuron;

(5) metribuzin + sulfometuron-methyl;

(6) metamitron + metsulfuron-methyl;

(7) metamitron + sulfometuron-methyl; and

(8) metamitron + sulfometuron-methyl;

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the total amount of component (a) and component (B) comprises from 5% to 99% by weight of the herbicide composition.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the total amount of component (a) and component (B) comprises from 50% to 99% by weight of the herbicide composition.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the total amount of component (a) and component (B) comprises from 70% to 99% by weight of the herbicide composition.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the total amount of component (a) and component (B) comprises from 80% to 99% by weight of the herbicide composition.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the total amount of component (a) and component (B) comprises from 80% to 90% by weight of the herbicide composition.

17. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 12, characterized in that the application rate of component (a) is from 50 to 6000g/ha and the application rate of component (B) is from 5 to 630 g/ha.

18. The method according to any one of claims 11 to 12, characterized in that the herbicidal composition is in the form of a soluble liquid formulation (SL), Emulsifiable Concentrate (EC), aqueous Emulsion (EW), Suspension (SC), oil suspension (OD), aqueous suspension for seed treatment (FS), water dispersible granule (WG), water Soluble Granule (SG), Wettable Powder (WP), water Soluble Powder (SP), Granule (GR), micro-encapsulated granule (CG), Fine Granule (FG), macro-granule (GG), micro-granule (MG), micro-emulsion (ME), Suspoemulsion (SE), micro-encapsulated suspension (CS).

19. The process according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the component (a) is a hexazinone; and the component (B) is metsulfuron-methyl.

20. The method of claim 11 or 12, wherein the crop is sugar cane.