Pyrazole plant growth regulants

A composition which kills or retards the growth of undesired vegetation or beneficially modifies the growth of desired plants consisting essentially of an inert diluent and an effective amount of a compound of the formula ##STR11## wherein D is ##STR12## X' is hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine or methyl;

• R is hydrogen or a group selected from --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, and
• --CH.dbd.CH-- which joins the 4-position of the pyrazole ring with the 2-position of the R.sub.1 substituent;
• R.sub.1 is sec-alkyl of three to six carbon atoms;
• tert-alkyl of four to six carbon atoms, cycloalkyl of five or six carbon atoms, naphthyl, biphenylyl, or ##STR13## X is hydrogen, halogen, alkyl of one to four carbon atoms, hydroxy, alkoxy of one to four carbon atoms, alkylthio of one to four carbon atoms, alkysulfonyl of one to four carbon atoms, trifluoromethyl or nitro;
• Y is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, methoxy or methyl;
• and
• Z is hydrogen, chlorine, or methyl;
• Q is hydrogen, alkyl of one to four carbon atoms, alkanoyl of one to four carbon atoms, alkoxycarbonyl of two to five carbon atoms, or benzensulfonyl optionally substituted with chlorine or one of two methyls
• M is hydrogen, benzyl, alkyl of one to six carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyl of two or three carbon atoms, alkoxyalkyl of three to five carbon atoms, sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, or ##STR14## where R.sub.4, R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 are each independently hydrogen, alkyl of one to four carbon atoms or hydroxyalkyl of two to four carbon atoms;
• and
• R.sub.7 is hydrogen, alkyl of one to twelve carbon atoms or benzyl;
• p is 0 or 1;
• and
• A is HCl, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, HNO.sub.3 and H.sub.3 PO.sub.4
• with the provisos that:
• 1. when M is other than hydrogen, benzyl or optionally substituted alkyl, p is O;
• and
• 2. the total number of carbon atoms in X, Y, and Z cannot exceed 4.