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One of the concerns about working with genetically² modified crops has been that vegetation growing in agricultural fields might escape out into the world. Now, for the first time in the U.S., researchers report a large population of GM crops beyond the farm.

Transgenic canola plants in North Dakota had received genes³ making them resistant⁴ to herbicides, such as the weed killer⁵ Roundup. Researchers collected and tested 406 canola plants along thousands of miles of state roads. They found 347 carrying at least one resistance gene¹. There were also indications that the inserted genes were being passed on to new generations, producing some plants in the wild with multiple transgenes. The findings were presented on August 6th at the annual meeting of the Ecological⁶ Society of America in Pittsburgh.

The transgenic canola plants are not about to take over the world. But researchers are obviously curious about how these particular plants managed to make it in places like the edges of parking lots rather than pampered⁷ fields. Any answers they find will likely affect future biotechnology regulation.

Thanks for the minute. For Scientific American's 60-Second Science, I'm Molly Webster.