The label is the law. Rates and restrictions below are taken from the product labels listed under Sources. Your product's own label governs; read it before you mix or apply. Mixing calculator · Disclaimer
- Active ingredient
- Topramezone
- Chemical class
- Pyrazole herbicide; WSSA Group 27 inhibitor of p-hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD).[2][1]
- Mode of action
- WSSA Group 27: HPPD (p-hydroxyphenyl pyruvate dioxygenase) inhibitors[2][1]
- Signal word
- Pylex Herbicide: Caution[1]
Grasses it can injure
Don't use Pylex on bahiagrass, buffalograss, carpetgrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, dichondra or wanted clover, except to control them. Bermudagrass and seashore paspalum are only marginally tolerant, and creeping bentgrass is limited to 0.25 fl oz per acre.[1]
Keep it out of ornamental beds and away from the dripline or exposed roots of trees and shrubs. Clippings from treated turf shouldn't be used as mulch around flowers, trees or vegetables.[1]
Seeding and bermudagrass removal
Pylex can go down before seeding or after new tolerant grass is 28 days old, but not during those first 28 days. Removing bermudagrass from cool-season turf takes three applications three weeks apart with triclopyr ester, starting in late summer.[1]
Where it is used
An oil adjuvant is required: crop oil concentrate or methylated seed oil at 0.5 to 1% by volume. The label says nonionic surfactants may not give satisfactory control.[1]
Don't mow from 2 days before until 2 days after spraying, and hold off watering for 24 hours afterward. Water first if the soil is dry.[1]
For backpack or pump sprayers, premix the tiny dose in a small sealable container half to three-quarters full of water before adding it to the tank. Spray to wet and add a spray colorant.[1]
Weeds turn white soon after treatment, then brown and die. A second 1.0 to 1.5 fl oz per acre application 2 to 3 weeks later may be needed.[1]
Products and registrations
| Product | Registrant | EPA Reg. No. | Active % | Formulation | Signal word |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pylex Herbicide[1] | BASF Corporation | 7969-327 | 29.7% | suspension concentrate (2.8 lb topramezone per gallon) | Caution |
Label rates
| Product | Use | Pests | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pylex Herbicide | Tolerant turf: Kentucky bluegrass, tall and fine fescue, perennial ryegrass, centipedegrass | Crabgrass, goosegrass, foxtails, Japanese stiltgrass, white clover, dandelion, ground ivy, oxalis and other listed weeds | 1.0–1.5 fl oz product per acre[1] Use 1.0 fl oz on annual grasses up to 2 tillers and 1.5 fl oz at 2 to 4 tillers, plus crop oil concentrate or methylated seed oil. Kentucky bluegrass alone can take up to 2.0 fl oz. |
| Pylex Herbicide | Spot spraying scattered weeds in tolerant turf | Same weeds as the broadcast rate | 0.023–0.034 fl oz product per 1,000 sq ft[1] That is 0.7 to 1.0 mL of Pylex plus 30 mL (2 tablespoons) of oil adjuvant in 1 gallon of water per 1,000 sq ft. |
Safety and environmental hazards
People
Signal word CAUTION: harmful if absorbed through skin or swallowed, and causes moderate eye irritation. Handlers wear long sleeves, long pants, shoes, socks, chemical-resistant gloves and goggles, a face shield or safety glasses.[1]
Pets
Don't let people or pets onto treated turf until the spray has dried. Walking on wet spray can also track it onto sensitive grass such as bentgrass.[1]
Bees and pollinators
The label has no bee or pollinator warning; its environmental cautions are about water and nontarget plants.[1]
Fish and water
Toxic to aquatic and terrestrial plants. Don't apply directly to water, through irrigation systems, or when weather favors drift.[1]
Common questions
- Will topramezone kill bermudagrass in a fescue lawn?
- With help. The label pairs Pylex at 1.3 fl oz per acre with triclopyr ester for three applications at three-week intervals, starting about 9 to 12 weeks before the first killing frost. Full control can take more than one year.[1]
- Why did my grass turn white after Pylex?
- Temporary bleaching is a known effect, especially on stressed turf. The label says the symptoms pass and turf vigor isn't affected; bermudagrass and paspalum may stay discolored 2 to 4 weeks.[1]
- How much Pylex can be used in a year?
- No more than 4.0 fl oz per acre per year (0.092 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft), no more than three applications a season, and never by air.[1]
Sources
- U.S. EPA Pesticide Product Label System, “Pylex Herbicide label, EPA Reg. No. 7969-327 (EPA-stamped, Sept. 12, 2018).” www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/007969-00327-20180912.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Weed Science Society of America, “Summary of Herbicide Mechanism of Action According to the Weed Science Society of America.” wssa.net/wp-content/uploads/WSSA-Mechanism-of-Action.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)