Fluazifop-p-butyl is a post-emergence phenoxy herbicide. It is absorbed rapidly through leaf surfaces and quickly hydrolyzes to fluazifop acid. The acid is transported primarily in the phloem and accumulates in the meristems where it disrupts the synthesis of lipids in susceptible species (Urano 1982; Erlingson 1988). Fluazifop-p-butyl inhibits acetyl
CoA carboxylase, an enzyme that catalyzes an early step in fatty acid synthesis. Lipids are important components of cellular membranes, and when they cannot be produced in sufficient quatities, cell membrane integrity fails, especially in regions of active growth such as meristems.