Phosphorus-containing N-phenylsulfonyl-N'-pyrimidinylureas and N-phenylsulfonyl-N'-triazinylureas of the formula ##STR1## and the salts of these compounds with amines, alkali or alkaline earth metal bases or quaternary ammonium bases have good pre-emergence and post-emergence selective herbicidal and growth-regulating properties.In this formula, X is a group ##STR2## Y is hydrogen, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkyl, trifluoromethyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5, alkenyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 -alkynyl, nitro, --COOR.sup.6 or --Q--R.sup.6, Z is nitrogen or the methine group, E is oxygen or sulfur, R.sup.1 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkyl and R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently of one another are C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -halogenoalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -halogenoalkoxy, cyclopropyl, amino, methylamino or dimethylamino, and A is oxygen, sulfur, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkylene, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 -alkenylene, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -halogenoalkylene or --NR.sup.7 --(CH.sub.2).sub.m --; --CH.sub.2 --NH--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --; --(CH.sub.2).sub.m --NR.sup.7 -- or --O--(CH.sub.2).sub.p --, --S--(CH.sub.2).sub.p --, --(CH.sub.2).sub.p --O-- or --(CH.sub.2).sub.p --S--, n is zero or one, G is oxygen or sulfur, R.sup.4 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -halogenoalkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -halogenoalkyl, phenyl or hydroxyl, R.sup.5 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -halogenoalkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkyl or hydroxyl, R.sup.6 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -halogenoalkyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 -alkoxyalkyl, Q is oxygen, sulfur, --SO-- or --SO.sub.2 --, R.sup.7 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkyl, phenyl, benzyl or phenyl which is substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 -alkyl, halogen or nitro, m is a number from zero to three, p is a number from zero to two and r is one or two.