Herbicidal substituted sulphonylaminoazoles of the formula ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 is optionally substituted alkyl, aralkyl, aryl or heteroaryl,R.sup.2 is hydrogen or --SO.sub.2 --R.sup.1,R.sup.3 is hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl, mercapto, amino, or an optionally substituted alkyl, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkylamino or dialkylamino radical,A is CH, nitrogen or,at least one of A, D and E is ##STR2## and the others may be that or CH or nitrogen, and X, Y and Z each is nitrogen or optionally substituted C, and salts thereof.