Integrated pest management procedures are vital to accomplishing environmentally sound pest management.It is important to recognize all the parts of integrated weed management when employing any weed control program.These integrated approaches include mechanical, cultural,physical,chemical,and biological methods. Herbicides have been an important tool for management of weeds in urban and rural environments for many years.Since the 1940 ’s, herbicides have become more sophisticated with regard to what weeds they control,length of control,and how they might affect desirable vegetation.Although the use of herbicides is widely accepted and practiced,it is probably the least understood segment of an integrated weed management program.There are many publications available that describe how herbicides work and their mechanism of selectivity. Classification of herbicides by mode-of-action gives us an in-depth appreciation of how the herbicide affects susceptible plants from the time it is absorbed until plant death.Knowledge of herbicide mode-of-action helps us to understand the relationship that some herbicides have to others with regard to activity and selectivity.It also helps us to recognize what type of noticeable effects herbicides will have on plants either at lethal or sublethal doses. Although there are many ways to classify herbicides,using and understanding herbicide mode-of-action can help diagnose injury problems.Mode-of-action groups include growth regulators,photosynthetic inhibitors,pigment inhibitors,seedling growth inhibitors,cell membrane disrupters, lipid synthesis inhibitors,and amino acid synthesis inhibitors. It must be understood that other symptoms caused by insects,diseases,and abiotic stresses can mimic the effects of some herbicides.Therefore,diagnosis of herbicide injury should include a careful consideration of other biotic and abiotic possibilities.The following information describes some of the common herbicide injury problems to cotton.Remember to always carefully read and follow label instructions for safe and effective use of herbicides.

Triazines,Substituted Ureas,Uracils and Amides (atrazine,Cotoran ® and others)
Since these herbicides affect the photosynthetic apparatus first,the disruption of root growth is a secondary effect.Because roots need carbohydrates from above ground tissue,the disruption of photosynthesis will slow root growth.

Cotoran ®