Soybean seeds and plants exhibiting natural herbicide resistance

摘要

Soybean plants are provided that exhibit in the absence of induced mutagenesis naturally-occurring genetically-controlled glyphosate herbicide resistance that is not attributable to genetic engineering. Mature soybean seeds initially are soaked in a liquid comprising a glyphosate herbicide for a period of time sufficient for the herbicide to reach the embryos of the soybean seeds. Following such soaking the soybean seeds are planted to produce at least one soybean plant or a descendant thereof in a subsequent generation that displays resistance to glyphosate herbicide. The existence of the naturally-occurring glyphosate herbicide resistance in a soybean plant is confirmed by demonstrating the absence of a foreign gene for herbicide resistance that has been introduced by genetic engineering. Soybean seeds capable of forming the naturally-occurring genetically-controlled glyphosate herbicide resistance that is not attributable to genetic engineering also are provided. Such herbicide resistance can be reliably expressed and transferred to other soybean plants by conventional plant breeding methods.