3-Pyridyl-oxy-alkanecarboxylic acid amides

A composition for regulating plant growth and for antagonising the action of strong herbicides on crops, which composition contains as active substance an effective amount of a 3-pyridyl-oxy-alkanecarboxylic acid amide of formula I ##STR104## wherein A is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl group which can be substituted by halogen or hydroxy, the nitro or amino group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio group,

• B has the same meaning as A,
• C is hydrogen, a halogen atom or the nitro group,
• n is 1 or 2,
• Q is an alkylene bridge member having 1-12 C atoms or an alkenylene bridge member having 2-12 C atoms which is branched or unbranched and which can be substituted by halogen, or phenyl,
• R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently of one another are each hydrogen, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl group which is optionally substituted by OH or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy group, a C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -alkenyl group, a C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 -alkynyl group, phenyl or benzyl, whereby the phenyl rings can also be substituted by halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, or NO.sub.2, together with a suitable inert carrier therefor.