The progeny of 104 regenerated maize plants were screened for tolerance to the safe broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate during seed germination and early growth. Seven somaclones showed varying degrees of resistance to the application of the herbicide at 1.2 mM (0.1 kg a.i. in 400 1 ha^-1 of water). Plants capable of a normal growth following treatment with 2.4 mM (0.2 kg ha^-1) glyphosate at the three leaf stage were selfed, and their progeny analyzed. A family able to tolerate the exposure to glyphosate at 2.4 mM was isolated and shown to maintain a photosynthetic rate comparable with control after the application of the herbicide.

The selfed progeny of the tolerant somaclone was characterized as to the properties of two targets of glyphosate, the shikimate pathway enzymes 5-enol-pyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase and 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate (DAHP) synthase. In vitro tests ruled out the possibility that the tolerance was due to altered forms of these enzymes. Families showed significant variability with regard to EPSP and DAHP synthase levels, measured at different stages during seedling growth; however, not even these traits were correlated with in vivo response to glyphosate. The possible role of other physiological processes in determining the increased tolerance to the herbicide is discussed.