"Failed antibiotic repurposed as potent weed killer for agriculture"

A molecule that was initially developed to treat tuberculosis but failed to progress out of the lab as an antibiotic is now showing promise as a powerful foe for weeds that invade our gardens and cost farmers billions of dollars each year. Scientists at the University of Adelaide discovered that by tweaking its structure, the molecule became effective at killing two of the most problematic weeds in Australia, annual ryegrass and wild radish, without harming bacterial and human cells. This discovery could expedite the commercialization of much-needed new herbicides and lead to the development of new weed killers to target pesky weeds growing in our backyards and driveways.