A new herbicide system from Paige Henning, postdoctoral researcher in the Center for Genomic Science Innovation; scientist Benjamin Minkoff; and Michael Sussman, professor of biochemistry, uses a natural plant peptide, SPH, to suppress and kill a wide variety of weeds. SPH targets a receptor found in nearly all plant species, giving it broad activity. The researchers showed that removing this receptor from crops makes them resistant to SPH, enabling selective weed control. The result is an ecofriendly herbicide that could simplify farming and reduce environmental impact.