Soybean are transformed by inserting a functional gene into an explant of a soybean (particularly after being pre-treated with high doses of cytokinin (hormone)), transferring embryonic axes explants of the mature soybean seeds incubated on wet filter papers in the presence of at least one phenol compound naturally produced when plant cells have been wounded, to induce vir genes, and incubated in the dark in such presence at 20° C.-25° C. for at least 24 hr. After incubation, the explants are transferred to a media to develop shoots from explants, control Agrobaterium growth, and after shoot elongation, separated shoots, with or without roots, are either transferred to soil, or contacted with at least 1 mg/l IBA before transplant.
