First Established Populations of Genetically Modified Plants Found in the Wild

By Rebecca Boyle Posted 08.06.2010 at 2:14 pm 6 Comments

Canola Field Wikimedia Commons

Franken-canola has been found growing along roadsides in North Dakota, in one of the first known cases of genetically modified crops taking hold in the wild. The finding shows that genetically modified canola plants can survive and thrive in the wild perhaps for decades, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America.

Meredith G. Schafer, a graduate student from the University of Arkansas, and colleagues traveled along 3,000 miles of interstate, state and county roads in North Dakota and stopped every five miles to take a sample of a canola plant. Of the 406 plants collected, 80 percent of them had at least one transgene. And in at least two plants, the herbicide-resistant strains had cross-pollinated, resulting in canola resistant to both Roundup and LibertyLink (known chemically as glyphosate and glufosinate).

It's not that surprising, because most canola plants grown in North Dakota have been genetically modified to resist herbicides, especially Roundup, made by Monsanto, and LibertyLink, made by Bayer. Genetically engineered seeds en route to farmers' fields might blow off a truck and into roadside fields, where the plants take root. In some spots, the plants were as tightly packed as they would be on farms.

What was surprising was the plants' prevalence, however -- they were found along busy roadsides but also in the middle of nowhere, researcher Cindy Sagers told BBC News.

Genetically modified canola had already been found growing in the wild in Canada, and a canola relative was found in Japan, BBC reported.

St. Louis-based Monsanto said in a statement that the finding should neither be surprising nor alarming, however. Tom Nickson, the environmental policy leader at Monsanto, noted that canola is usually found near roadsides, because the seeds are small and easily carry on the wind.

"Because about 90 percent of the U.S. and Canadian canola crop is biotech, it is reasonable to expect a survey of roadside canola to show similar levels of biotech plants," he said.

Researchers from North Dakota State University, California State University-Fresno and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency also participated in the study.

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6 Comments

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OddNotion

08/06/10 at 5:30 pm

" In some spots, the plants were as tightly packed as they would be on farms."

So, am I the only one that finds that disturbing? While I appreciate the fact that members of the rapeseed family tend to improve the quality of overworked or barren soil, why are we not bothered that these GMOs are spreading farther and farther? If it so happens that even a smattering of Monsanto's modified plants hunker down in someone's cash crop, they demand restitution! Selfish, greedy, heartless creeps...

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atomicant

08/06/10 at 9:28 pm

So if the GMO canola prosper in the wild Mosanto can't pretend a right on it. I knows about farmer sued by Monsanto becaused there was GMO in their fields. I enraged to that the judge agreed to Monsanto claim.

As Monsanto admit it, the seeds carry on the wind, so any sue again a farmer should be rejected by a judge.

Monsanto is the devil name.

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podboq

08/07/10 at 5:50 am

It's unbelievable to me that Monsanto should win any cases against farmers 'growing their patented crops' when birds, wind and anything else can move them from their intended fields, into small farms.... it's just complete bullshit.

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shadow104

08/07/10 at 7:49 am

greenpeace has to be pieced off at this

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ravindrax

08/09/10 at 4:42 am

First Established Populations of Genetically Modified Plants Found in the Wild is very informative,could u post on benefita and harmful effects of eatingGenetically Modified food
www.visitmyhub.com

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fartsniffer

08/09/10 at 10:56 am

this is bad, watch 'future of food' a french documentry. In the US, people go from high positions in GM companies, to the governing body, and back again.

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