Used primarily as a potent inhibitor of the enzyme glutamine synthetase, this compound, also known as phosphinothricin, finds application in biochemical research to study nitrogen metabolism in plants and microorganisms. It helps in understanding the regulation of amino acid synthesis and ammonia assimilation pathways. Due to its structural similarity to amino acids, it acts as a competitive inhibitor, making it valuable in enzyme mechanism studies and metabolic pathway analysis. Commercially, it serves as the active ingredient in glufosinate-based herbicides, where targeted disruption of glutamine synthetase leads to the death of weeds, enabling its widespread use in agriculture for effective weed control across various crops including corn, soybeans, and others.