Diuron (DCMU) induces the photodestruction of pigments, which is the initial herbicidal symptom. As a working hypothesis, it is proposed that this symptom can only be produced when the herbicide dose is sufficiently high to inhibit not only photosystem II electron transport almost completely, but also inhibit (through over oxidation) the natural cyclic electron flow associated with photosystem I as well. Using freshly prepared chloroplasts, studies of DCMU-induced fluorescence changes, and dose responses for inhibition of electron transport, have been compared with a dose response for the photodestruction of pigments in chloroplasts during 24 h illumination. Photodestruction of pigments coincides with the inhibition of cyclic flow.