Somatic embryos and embryogenic tissues were initiated from immature zygotic embryos of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill cv. 'Fayette']. Zygotic embryos were placed on a medium containing 40 mg/l of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 6% sucrose. Somatic embryos were first seen 4 weeks after cultures were initiated. Following transfer, secondary somatic embryos proliferated directly from the apical or terminal portions of the older primary somatic embryos. Single somatic embryos or clusters of embryos were seen growing directly from the top of older somatic embryos. Light microscopy revealed that these embryos were of surface or subsurface origin. The apical soybean somatic embryo tissue may represent cotyledonary tissue (which has been shown to be most responsive) at a very young and manipulatable state.