Have had a fair few requests re how Sharpen works.

Here is what I think best explains and illustrates the question.

At the centre of the Sharpen^® herbicide technology is a revolutionary new chemistry designed around a revolutionary new molecule. It triggers a fast, powerful action on the kind of tough broadleaf weeds that can compromise yields and return on investment (ROI).

Approved for use across a wide range of crops, Sharpen herbicide also provides flexibility in crop rotation.

Sharpen herbicide is a potent inhibitor of chlorophyll biosynthesis, resulting in a rapid build-up of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation of the cellular membranes. This drives a rapid loss of membrane integrity, leading to cellular leakage and rapid weed death. Sharpen herbicide is readily absorbed by plant roots, shoots and leaves. Once absorbed, it is predominantly translocated via the xylem, with some movement in the phloem.

Sharpen herbicide technology is the first in New Zealand in the class of chemistry known as pyrimidinedione. Sharpen herbicide was designed with a novel side chain. This novel side chain means that Sharpen herbicide is readily metabolized by tolerant crops, which leads to crop safety. The side chain also imparts chemical properties that result in soil bioavailability and foliar activity that enhance weed control.