GENETICALLY modified canola plants have been discovered growing on the edge of major roads in Esperance, the Conservation Council says. Four teams of volunteers collected 190 stray canola plants from the edge of the South Coast Highway, Norseman Road, Condingup and Fisheries Road in Esperance, about 730km south-east of Perth.

Testing revealed two of the 190 plants were genetically modified. Conservation Council scientist and research leader Dr Nic Dunlop said the study, although small, proves that road transport of GM crops can spread the plants over vast areas, posing a risk to organic and non-GM farmers who rely on the purity of their crops for market certification.