丁基拉草如施用於五葉齡之早期萌後處理，則對於水稻及水稗的胺基酸與蛋白質合成均有抑制作用。此種抑制作用主要來自丁基拉草對硝酸還原酵素活性的抑制，而不是麩胺酸去氫酵素活性的抑制。但丁基拉草對水稻與水稗的選擇性，則因施用期間的延後而降低，活性強度也受到些抑制。丁基拉草活性在水耕中較在土耕中明顯。

Butachlor [N-(butoxymethyl)-2-chloro-2',6'-diethyl acetanilide] applied at early post-emergence would interfer the amino acid synthesis and the protein synthesis of rice and barnyardgrass by the inhibition of nitrate reductase activity not by the glutamate dehydrogenase activity. The selectivity of butachlor on rice and barnyardgrass was not very distinctive when treated at 5-leaf stage of development. but the activity was still active to some degree. The inhibitory effects were more significant in the nutrient solution than in the soil.