A process is provided for detecting and isolating soybean plants in the absence
of induced mutagenesis that exhibit 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. Such herbicide resistance is generally-controlled and can be reliably
expressed and transferred to other soybean plants by conventional plant breeding methods.
