N-heterocyclosulfonyl-N'-pyrimidinylureas and N-heterocyclosulfonyl-N'-triazinylureas of the general formula I ##STR1## wherein X is oxygen, sulfur, ##STR2## Y is oxygen or sulfur, Z is oxygen or sulfur,E is nitrogen or --CH.dbd.,R.sub.1 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 haloalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 haloalkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylthio, --NR.sub.6 R.sub.7 or alkoxyalkyl containing not more than 4 carbon atoms,R.sub.2 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 haloalkyl, halogen, nitro, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy, ##STR3## --SO.sub.2 --NR.sub.6 R.sub.7, --SO.sub.n --C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl or --CO--R.sub.9,R.sub.3 is hydrogen, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl, methoxy, nitro or trifluoromethyl,R.sub.4 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 cyanoalkyl, C.sub.3 14 C.sub.6 cycloalkyl, benzyl, --CO--C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, --CO--NR.sub.6 R.sub.7 or --CO--C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 3 halogen atoms,R.sub.5 is hydrogen, nitro, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, methyl, trifluoromethyl, --SO.sub.n --C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl, --CO--C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy or C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy,R.sub.6 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 cyanoalkyl, methoxy or ethoxy,R.sub.7 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 alkenyl, orR.sub.6 and R.sub.7, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a 5- or 6-membered saturated heterocyclic ring which may contain an oxygen or a sulfur atom as ring member,R.sub.8 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 haloalkyl, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 cycloalkyl, C.sub.4 -Chd 7cycloalkylalkyl or alkoxyalkyl containing not more than 4 carbon atoms,R.sub.9 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 alkenyloxy, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 alkynyloxy, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 haloalkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 cyanoalkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkylthio, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 alkenylthio, C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 alkynylthio, C.sub.5 -C.sub.6 cycloalkoxy, C.sub.4 -C.sub.7 cycloalkylalkoxy, --NR.sub.6 R.sub.7 or alkoxyalkoxy containing not more than 6 carbon atoms,W is oxygen or .dbd.N--O--R.sub.10, wherein R.sub.10 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl or C.sub.3 -C.sub.6 alkenyl, andn is a value from 0 to 2and the salts of these compounds with amines, alkali metal bases or alkaline earth metal bases or with quaternary ammonium bases, have good preemergence and postemergence selective herbicidal and growth regulating properties.