Sulfur-containing oxime compounds for protecting cultivated plants

A herbicidal composition comprising (1) a herbicide and (2) a compound of the formula ##STR85## wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is hydrogen, halogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, and

• Q is hydrogen, a metal cation or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group, in an amount sufficient to protect desired crops against injury from said herbicide.

In the method of controlling weeds in crop cultures where a herbicidal compound is applied to the habitat of said weeds, the improvement comprising applying to said habitat, in sufficient amount to prevent injury to the crop, a compound of the formula ##STR87## wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is hydrogen, halogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, and

• Q is a hydrogen, a metal cation or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group.

The improvement of claim 43 in which the herbicide is selected from the group consisting of herbicidal 1,3,5-triazines, 1,2,4-triazinones, phenylurea derivatives, carbamates, thiolcarbamates, phenoxyacetic acid esters, phenoxypropionic acid esters, halogenoacetanilides, halogenophenoxyacetic acid esters, substituted phenoxyphenoxy-acetic acid esters and -propionic acid esters, substituted pyridineoxyphenoxy-acetic acid esters and -propionic acid esters and benzoic acid derivatives.

A method for protecting crops from injury arising from the action of a herbicide, said method comprising applying to the soil, in the rows of seed prior to treatment with said herbicide, a crop protecting amount of a compound of the formula ##STR92## wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is hydrogen, halogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, and

• Q is a hydrogen, a metal cation or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group.

A method for protecting crops from injury caused by application of a herbicide, said method comprising applying to the crop seeds a crop protecting amount of a compound of the formula ##STR94## wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is hydrogen, halogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, and

• Q is a hydrogen, a metal cation or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl.

A method for protecting plants from injury caused by application of a herbicide, said method comprising dipping the roots of the seedlings of said plants into a solution comprising a crop protecting effective amount of a compound of the formula ##STR96## wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is hydrogen, halogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, and

• Q is hydrogen, a metal cation or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group.

A method for selectively controlling weeds in crop cultures which comprises applying to a culture of said crop, grown from propagation material treated with a safening amount of a compound of the formula ##STR99## wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is hydrogen, halogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, and

• Q is hydrogen, a metal cation or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group, an effective amount of a herbicide.

Crop seed, the plants grown from which are resistent to injury by application of a herbicide, said seed having been coated with a safening amount of a compound of the formula ##STR104## wherein each of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is hydrogen, halogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, and

• Q is hydrogen, a metal cation or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group.

Seed according to claim 83 in which the compound is ##STR105## wherein R.sub.1 is hydrogen, chlorine, methyl or ethyl, and

• Q is hydrogen, an alkali metal cation or a C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkyl group.