The activity of soil-applied chlorimuron in yellow and purple nutsedge was studied in greenhouse and laboratory experiments. Soil-applied chlorimuron decreased tuber sprouting by 80% in yellow nutsedge and by 30% in purple nutsedge at 60 g ai/ha. Chlorimuron decreased shoot emergence by 53 to 83% and shoot growth by 85 to 99% in both species at rates as low as 10 g/ha. Previous exposure of tubers to chlorimuron-treated soil reduced tuber resprouting by 20 to 25% in herbicide-free soil at 60 g/ha in both species. There was no rate response in shoot emergence from tubers previously exposed to chlorimuron, but shoot dry weight decreased by 60 to 81% in both species at 60 g/ha. At 12 h after application, 47% of the total 14C applied to the shoot in yellow nutsedge and 32% of that applied in purple nutsedge were absorbed. However, less than 1% of the total 14C applied was translocated out of the shoot and into the roots and tuber in either species. In both species, 1.3% of the 14C applied to the roots and tuber was absorbed and 0.1% was translocated out of the roots and tuber into the shoot at 12 h after application. The pattern of root- and tuber-absorbed 14C distribution indicated that the 14C absorbed by the tuber remained in the tuber and that absorbed by the roots was translocated to the shoots.