Sodium chlorate green plant parts. It can also kill through root absorption. Sodium chlorate may be used to control a variety of plants including morning glory, canada thistle, johnson grass, bamboo, Ragwort, and St John's wort. The herbicide is mainly used on non-crop land for spot treatment and for total vegetation control on areas including roadsides, fenceways, and ditches. Sodium chlorate is also used as a defoliant and desiccant for: If used in combination with atrazine, it increases the persistence of the effect. If used in combination with 2,4-D, performance is improved. Sodium chlorate has a soil sterilant effect. Mixing with other
Potassium chlorate chlorate can react with sulfuric acid to form a highly reactive solution of chloric acid and potassium sulfate: The solution so produced is sufficiently reactive that it spontaneously ignites if combustible material (sugar, paper, etc.) is present. In schools, molten potassium chlorate is used in the dramatic screaming jelly babies demonstration. In chemical labs it is used to oxidize HCl and release small amounts of gaseous chlorine. Insurgents in Afghanistan also use potassium chlorate extensively as a key component in the production of improvised explosive devices. When significant effort was made to reduce the availability of ammonium nitrate fertilizer in