Inhibition of Echinochloa crus-galli var. frumentacea seedling root elongation by chiral 1, 3, 5-triazines in the dark

2-z-Substituted benzylamino-4-substituted-amino-6-chloro-1,3, 5-triazines are herbicidal compounds showing leaf-burning and/or growth inhibition with concomitant greening and stunting. Effects of chiral 1,3,5-triazine compounds in a light-independent seedling root elongation test with Echinochloa crus-galli var. frumentacea Wight demonstrated an interaction between chirality and root growth inhibition. The test compounds inhibited root growth, and this inhibition was due to interference with a system or systems other than photosynthesis. 4-(R)-sec-butylamino-2-(α,α-dimethylbenzyl)amino-6-chloro-1,3, 5-triazine showed the highest inhibitory activity, and 4-methylamino-2-(R)-a-methylbenzylamino-6-chloro-1,3,5-triazine was second. The chiral requirement for a strong inhibition of root growth was the (R)-configuration, contrasting with the requirement for the (S)-configuration for an inhibition of photosystem II.