Abstract: Fungicidal 2-imidazolin-5-ones and 2-imidazoline-5-thiones, processes for their preparation, fungicidal compositions containing them and methods of using them to treat or prevent fungal disease in crops.

Abstract: (Benzylidene)-azolylmethylcycloalkane or -alkene of formula ##STR1## in which: A and A.sub.1 are hydrocarbon chains of 1 to 3 carbon atoms,R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are hydrocarbon radicals,X is halogen,Y is H or halogen,n=1, 2 or 3,W is --CH.dbd. or --N.dbd..Use as a fungicide.

Abstract: Fungicidal 2-imidazolin-5-ones and 2-imidazoline-5-thiones, processes for their preparation, fungicidal compositions containing them and methods of using them to treat or prevent fungal disease in crops.

Abstract: Regulatory regions from maize .alpha.-tubulin genes are disclosed. In particular, 5' regulatory regions comprising an upstream regulatory ensemble (URE) from maize .alpha.-tubulin 1 and 3 genes is useful in tissue specific expression of heterologous genes in transformed plants. The maize .alpha.-tubulin URE comprises regulatory elements which when operably linked to a promoter and heterologous gene, confer regulated expression in roots, pollen and meristematic tissues. Expression constructs which confer tissue specific expression are also provided.

Abstract: Plant cells are transformed by:(i) transforming a plant cell whose growth is sensitive to inhibition by a sulfonamide or a salt thereof with a chimaeric gene comprising (a) a plant promoter, (b) a sulfonamide resistance gene having a sequence encoding a transit peptide fused to the 5'-end of the resistance gene and (c) a plant polyadenylation/terminator sequence;(ii) selecting a transformed plant cell whose growth is resistant to inhibition by a sulfonamide or salt thereof;(iii) optionally, regenerating from the transformed plant cell a genetically transformed plant which exhibit the said resistance;(iv) optionally, obtaining seed from the regenerated plant; and(v) optionally, propagating plants from the seed.The growth of weeds can be controlled by a locus where a transgenic plant obtained as above is being cultivated by applying to the locus an effective amount of a herbicide, such as asulam, which acts by inhibiting dihydropteroate synthase.

Abstract: Chimeric gene for conferring to plants an increased tolerance to a herbicide having as its target EPSPS comprises, in the direction of transcription, a promoter region, a transit peptide region, a coding sequence for glyphosate tolerance and a polyandenylation signal region, wherein the transit peptide region comprises, in the direction of translation, at least one transit peptide of a plant gene encoding a plastid-localized enzyme and then a second transit peptide of a plant gene encoding a plastid-localized enzyme. Production of glyphosate-tolerant plants is disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel process for the sulfinylation of heterocyclic compounds, which comprises reacting:a compound of the formula RS(O)X, in which R is a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, which is substituted with one or more identical or different halogen atoms and X is a halogen atom, the hydroxyl group or one of the salts thereof, a group --NR.sub.2 R.sub.3, R.sub.2 and R.sub.

Abstract: Linoleic acid is converted into .gamma.-linolenic acid by the enzyme .DELTA.6-desaturase. The present invention is directed to isolated nucleic acids comprising the .DELTA.6-desaturase gene. More particularly, the isolated nucleic acid comprises the promoter, coding region and termination regions of the .DELTA.6-desaturase gene. The present invention provides recombinant constructions comprising the .DELTA.6-desaturase coding region in functional combination with heterologous regulatory sequences. The nucleic acids and recombinant constructions of the instant invention are useful in the production of GLA in transgenic organisms.

Abstract: Plant cells are transformed by:(i) transforming a plant cell whose growth is sensitive to inhibition by a sulfonamide or a salt thereof with a chimaeric gene comprising (a) a plant promoter, (b) a sulfonamide resistance gene having a sequence encoding a transmit peptide fused to the 5'-end of the resistance gene and (c) a plant polyadenylation/terminator sequence;(ii) selecting a transformed plant cell whose growth is resistant to inhibition by a sulfonamide or salt thereof;(iii) optionally, regenerating from the transformed plant cell a genetically transformed plant which exhibit the said resistance;(iv) optionally, obtaining seed from the regenerated plant; and(v) optionally, propagating plants from the seed.The growth of weeds can be controlled at a locus where a transgenic plant obtained as above is being cultivated by applying to the locus an effective amount of a herbicide, such as asulam, which acts by inhibiting dihydroptercate synthase.

Abstract: (1) Fungicidal combinations and compositions, comprising a compound A of the formula: ##STR1## wherein the symbol ##STR2## represents ##STR3## and a compound B chosen from bromuconazole, tebuconazole, epoxiconazole, cyproconazole, flusilazole, metconazole, hexaconazole and difenoconazole.(2) Process for treating crops using these combinations/compositions.

Abstract: A Chimeric gene which is usable for endowing plants with resistance to a herbicide based on 3,5-dihalo-4-hydroxy-benzonitrile, comprising at least one gene coding for resistance to this herbicide, a foreign promoter and, optionally, a polyadenylation signal region, wherein the promoter originates from a gene which is naturally expressed in plant cells and is chosen from the group comprising the promoter of the 35 S RNA for cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV 35S) and the promoter of the small subunit (SSU) of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO).

Abstract: Linoleic acid is converted into .gamma.-linolenic acid by the enzyme .DELTA.6-desaturase. The present invention is directed to an isolated nucleic acid comprising the .DELTA.6-desaturase gene. More particularly, the isolated nucleic acid comprises the promoter, coding region and termination regions of the .DELTA.6-desaturase gene. The present invention provides recombinant constructions comprising the .DELTA.6-desaturase coding region in functional combination with heterologous regulatory sequences. The nucleic acids and recombinant constructions of the instant invention are useful in the production of GLA in transgenic organisms.

Abstract: Phenylpyrazoles of the formula: ##STR1## in which: X.dbd.H, hal, NO.sub.2, CN, SCN, alkyl (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4), alkenyl (C.sub.2 -C.sub.4), alkynyl (C.sub.2 -C.sub.4), alkoxy (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4), alkylthio (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4), phenyl, phenoxy; mono- or di- alkyl- or phenyl- amino; alkylcarbonyl, carbamoyl, carboxyl, benzoyl; alkyl- sulphinyl or sulphonyl;Y, Z.dbd.H, hal, OH, NO.sub.2, NO, CN, SCN, alkyl (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4), alkenyl (C.sub.2 -C.sub.4), alkynyl (C.sub.2 -C.sub.4), alkoxy (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4), alkylthio (C.sub.1 -C.sub.4), phenyl, phenoxy; mono- or di- alkyl- or phenyl- amino; alkylcarbonyl, carbamoyl, carboxyl, benzoyl; alkyl- sulphinyl or sulphonyl, for example; andY, Z may also form a bridge of 1 to 4 atoms, of which at least one can be a hetero atom, optionally substituted. The products are useful as fungicides in agriculture.

Abstract: The invention provides agriculturally useful fungicidal phenylbenzamides of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, which are identical or different, are each a hydrogen or halogen atom or an optionally halogenated alkyl radical having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, which are identical or different, are each an alkyl radical having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a morpholino radical.

Abstract: Chimeric gene for conferring to plants an increased tolerance to a herbicide having as its target EPSPS comprises, in the direction of transcription, a promoter region, a transit peptide region, a coding sequence for glyphosate tolerance and a polyadenylation signal region, wherein the transit peptide region comprises, in the direction of translation, at least one transit peptide of a plant gene encoding a plastid-localised enzyme, a partial sequence of the N-terminal mature part of a plant gene encoding a plastid-localised enzyme and then a second transit peptide of a plant gene encoding a plastid- localised enzyme. Production of glyphosate-tolerant plants is disclosed.

Abstract: Herbicidal compositions, characterized in that they comprise: (a) as active ingredient, a herbicidally effective amount of a mixture comprising HERB1, known under the chemical name of 1-methyl-3- 2-fluoro-4-chloro-5-(ethoxycarbonylmethoxy)phenyl!-4-chloro-5- difluoromethoxypyrazole (I), and a second herbicide (II) selected from the group consisting of diflufenican, bromoxynil, flurtamone, aclonifen and isoproturon; and (b) an agriculturally acceptable carrier therefor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a chimeric gene for conferring to plants an increased tolerance to a herbicide.This chimeric gene comprises, in the direction of transcription, a promoter region, a transit peptide region, a sequence encoding glyphosate tolerance and a polyadenylation signal region, wherein the promoter region consists of at least one promoter of a plant histone gene enabling the expression of the herbicide tolerance protein in the regions of glyphosate accumulation.The present invention further provides vectors containing the present chimeric genes, as well as plant cells and plants transformed with such vectors which permit production of glyphosate-tolerant plants.

Abstract: Compositions having a growth regulatory effect, characterized in that they comprise a mixture of a product A, which is mepiquat chloride, and of a derivative of cyclopropylmalonanilic acid (compound B) of formula (I):(R.sup.1).sub.p C.sub.6 H.sub.5-p --NR.sup.2 --CO--C(C.sub.2 H.sub.4)--CO--R.sup.3 --R.sup.4in which:R.sup.1 represents a halogen atom or an alkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylsulfinyl, alkylsulfonyl, nitro, cyano or acetyl group, it being possible for these various radicals optionally to be substituted by one or a number of halogen atoms;p is an integer equal to 0, 1, 2 or 3; when there are a number of R.sup.1 radicals, the latter can be identical to or different from one another;R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom or a lower alkyl group; the qualifier lower denotes a group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms;R.sup.3 is an oxygen or sulfur atom;R.sup.

Abstract: R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5, each represents a hydrogen or halogen atom (at least one of R.sub.3, R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 being other than hydrogen or halogen); optionally substituted amino; optionally halogenated or hydroxylated alkyl, alkoxy, alkylalkoxy or alkylthio; or R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 (in the 3- and 4-positions) can together form a single divalent radical with 3 or 4 members containing 1 or 2 non-adjacent oxygen atoms; are useful as agricultural fungicides.

Abstract: A new process for the preparation of a phenylbenzamide derivative of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 alkyl, substituted with 2 to 5 F, and each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, which can be identical or different, is methyl or ethyl, or --NR.sub.1 R.sub.2 is morpholino, comprising condensing a haloenone (I) with an acetoamide (II), according to scheme ##STR2## in the presence of an organic solvent and 1 to 2 equivalents of base, followed by converting the resulting product in two steps, one of which is a reduction, to the corresponding compound of formula (A). Phenylbenzamides of formula (A) are agricultural fungicides. The new process is suited to large-scale production of these compounds.