A combination of lack of carbohydrate availability and finally cell membrane disintegration results in plant death. The general description just above describes the typical plant responses. With higher doses and sensitive plants symptoms may appear identical to those associated with the rapid cell membrane destroyers described below. Kill is very rapid. Severe injury is evident within hours after application.
Plant death depends on the completeness of coverage during application.
New growth on surviving plants will be normal in appearance. Foliar activity alone can provide only shoot kill. These foliar applied, strongly cationic, relatively toxic herbicides are used with a wetting agent. Extremely strong binding to clay prevents activity for weed control or leaching in the soil. The primary site is an enzyme, protoporphyrinogen oxidase protox.