Biosecurity officials are investigating whether genetically engineered plants have spread from a containment glasshouse on the Lincoln campus of Plant and Food Research, near Christchurch.
Regulators were told about the breach on Wednesday, but it was not announced until today.
The problem is over arabidopsis thaliana, a weed for which Plant and Food - and the two state science companies from which it was created, Crop and Food and Hortresearch - have won at least 30 different approvals to genetically engineer.
A favourite of laboratory researchers since it was the first plant to have its genome sequenced, arabidopsis is a member of the mustard plant family, and related to broccoli and cauliflower.
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) officials are investigating the spread of genetically engineered plants into the wider environment around a containment glasshouse.
The feral plants have tested positive for GE constructs, but the ministry did not say what traits those modified.
Because arabidopsis weeds are widespread in New Zealand, the extensive population may provide a wide-ranging host population for any GE material which escapes the site.
"Potential sources for the gene constructs are being investigated," MAF said today.
The ministry's biosecurity staff had visited the glasshouse site and were carrying out further investigations.
A review was also under way of all recent audits of other facilities using arabidopsis plants for research, and additional collection and testing of plants around the glasshouse will be done to find the extent of the breach.
MAF said it regarded a breach of containment as a serious matter and investigations had started to identify how and when the breach occurred.
Biosecurity New Zealand earlier this year cancelled approval of the operator of a Plant and Food outdoor trial of genetically engineered brassicas.
The operator had allowed roots and stems for GE kale plants, normally grown as animal fodder, to be left in the field so that some re-grew and flowered.
Plant and Food Research, the nation's newest state science company, said at the time it was red-faced over the bungled containment, but did not believe there should be further consequences for GE trials.
