N-Phenylsulfonyl-N'-pyrimidinylureas of the general formula ##STR1## and the salts thereof with amines, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal bases or with quaternary ammonium bases, have good pre- and postemergence selective herbicidal and growth regulating properties. In the above formulaQ is fluorine, fluoromethyl, chloromethyl, trichloromethyl, 1,2-dichloroethyl, 1,2-dibromoethyl, 1,2-dichloropropyl, 1,2-dibromopropyl, 1,2-dibromoisobutyl, 1,2-dichloro-1-methyl-ethyl or 1,2-dibromo-1-methyl-ethyl,X is oxygen, sulfur, a sulfinyl or sulfonyl bridge,Z is oxygen or sulfur,R.sub.2 is hydrogen, halogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 alkenyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 haloalkyl, or a radical --Y--R.sub.5, --COOR.sub.6, --NO.sub.2 or --CO--NR.sub.7 --R.sub.8,R.sub.3 and R.sub.4, each independently of the other, are hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 haloalkyl, halogen or alkoxyalkyl of at most 4 carbon atoms,R.sub.5 and R.sub.6, each independently of the other, are C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 alkenyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkynyl,R.sub.7 and R.sub.8, each independently of the other, are hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 alkenyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 alkynyl, andY is oxygen, sulfur, a sulfinyl or sulfonyl bridge.