Abstract
To investigate the distribution of genetically modified (GM) oilseed rape plants in natural habitats, we collected oilseed rape seeds (Brassica naups and B. juncea ) from Kashima port, along 4 main roads, and 5 riverside areas in Kanto district. They were germinated in a greenhouse and then treated with herbicides. Among 139 samples, 5 collected from Kashima port and 8 from Route 51 were glyphosate-resistant. One sample from Kashima port, 2 from Route 51, and 1 from Route 124 were glufosinate-resistant. No herbicide-resistant plants were found in samples from other sampling sites. All herbicide-resistant oilseed rape plants, except for 2 samples from which we failed to isolate DNA, had transgenes compatible with their phenotypes. We identified GM oilseed rape on Kashima, Routes 51 and 124 but not at other sampling sites, suggesting that the found transgenic plants would probably have been derived from imported seeds that were spilled during transportation.
