Compositions for and method of influencing plant growth and novel 1-phenyl-2-oxo-pyrrolidine-4-carboxylic acid derivatives

1-Phenyl-2-oxo-pyrrolidine-4-carboxylic acids of the formula ##STR28## wherein A is --OH,--OR.sub.1, --SR.sub.2 or --CN;

• R.sub.1 is an alkali metal, alkaline-earth metal, zinc, copper, iron or quaternary ammonium cation;
• C.sub.1 -C.sub.18 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.18 alkyl mono-to-tri-substituted by halogen, hydroxyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, amino, mono-alkyl amino, dialkyl amino, cyano, alkoxycarbonyl, carbamoyl, tetrahydrofuryl or tetrahydropyranyl, the alkyl moieties of these substituents having 1-4 carbon atoms;
• C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 alkenyl;
• C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 haloalkenyl;
• C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 alkynyl;
• C.sub.3 -C.sub.8 haloalkynyl;
• C.sub.3 -C.sub.12 cycloalkyl;
• phenyl, benzyl or phenylethyl, or phenyl, benzyl or phenylethyl substituted by alkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, N-alkylamino, N,N-dialkylamino, halogen, trifluoromethyl, amino or nitro, the alkyl moieties of these substituents having 1-4 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.2 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, benzyl, phenyl, or benzyl and phenyl substituted by alkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, N-alkylamino, N,N-dialkylamino, halogen, trifluoromethyl, amino or nitro, the alkyl moieties of these substituents having 1-4 carbon atoms;
• X is --NH-SO.sub.2 CF.sub.3 or --NH-SO.sub.2 CH.sub.3 in the 3- or 4- position;
• Y.sub.1 is halogen, trifluoromethyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylthio;
• and
• Z is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl.