b'HERMON project tackles weed challenges across soybean belt.A UNIFIED FRONT ON WEED RESISTANCEBy Aimee Nielson, Editor, Seed World U.S.HERBICIDE RESISTANCE ISNTa distant threatits here, spreading and reshaping how growers manage soybean fields across the United States. As weed species like waterhemp, Palmer amaranth and ragweed adapt to withstand once-reliable herbicides, growers are left with fewer options and higher costs. In some regions, yield losses from resistant weeds can top 50%, and many worry that new herbicide-tolerant traits, like Enlist and Xtend, could follow the same path as glyphosate-resistant systems without careful management. Enter HERMON: the Herbicide Resistance Mitigation Outreach Network. This multistate initiative brings together weed scientists and diagnostic labs from across the soybean belt with a bold goal of standardizing diagnostics, sharing data and staying ahead of resistance before it takes root.Led by Michigan State Universitys Eric Patterson, HERMON goes beyond traditional research silos. Its building a national diagnostic and response system, supporting both public exten-sion and private innovation, while training a new generation of weed scientists who understand both growers needs and lab-based tools.PHOTO: MSUSeed World U.S. caught up with Patterson, an assistant professor and weed geneticist in the MSU Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, to learn more about why HERMONEric Patterson ofis happening now, what makes it different and how seed compa- Michigan State University nies and agronomists can play a key role in protecting soybean fields for the future.34/ SEEDWORLD.COMSEPTEMBER 2025'