Chlorsulfuron and imazethapyr (herbicides that inhibit acetolactate synthase; ALS, EC 4.1.3.18) produced a strong accumulation of hydroxycinnamic acids that was related to the induction of the first enzyme of the shikimate pathway, 3-deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (EC 2.5.2.54). The exogenous application of two hydroxycinnamic acids, ferulic and p-coumaric acids, to pea plants resulted in their internal accumulation, arrested growth, carbohydrate and quinate accumulation in the leaves, and the induction of ethanolic fermentation. These effects resemble some of the physiological effects detected after acetolactate synthase inhibition and suggest important roles for ferulic and p-coumaric acids in the mode of action of herbicides inhibiting the biosynthesis of branched chain amino acids.