Herbicidal Activity of Phosphinothricin

In 1984 the ammonium salt of the compound was introduced to the market under the common name glufosinate-ammonium as a post-emergent herbicide for direded spray application in vineyards. In the following years the label was extended for using glufosinate-ammonium in orchards and plantation crops and subsequently further uses were developed [19]. 

In Japan, Meiji Seika discovered the herbicidal adivity of bialaphos. Owing to its good performance as a natural produd for weed control after foUar appUca-tion, the tripeptide was developed as a foliar non-selective herbicide for the Japanese market, where it was introduced in 1984 under the trade name Herbiace [20]. 

To date, all attempts to synthesize more potent structural analogues of glutamate with herbiddal adivity failed despite the research efforts dedicated to the herbicide target glutamine synthetase [19]. 

Only the L-enantiomer of the racemic glufosinate (DL-homoalanin-4-yl(methyl)phosphonic acid) acts as an GS inhibitor. The tripeptide bialaphos 

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