The CP4 EPSPS protein from Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain CP4 provides resistance to the herbicide glyphosate (commercially known as Roundup). This allows GM crops with CP4 EPSPS to survive glyphosate applications, which kill surrounding weeds by blocking the EPSPS enzyme essential for plant amino acid synthesis.
Glyphosate is one of the most widely used herbicides globally. Many countries use genetically modified crops to control pests. The USA is among the largest users of CP4 EPSPS in GMOs, especially for soybeans, corn, and cotton, with millions of acres planted with these crops. Canada also uses them widely in canola, corn, and soybeans to support large-scale farming and reduce production costs.
Argentina and Brazil are major adopters of CP4 EPSPS in soybeans and corn for large-scale commercial agriculture, to meet export demands. Asian countries like China and India use these GMOs to meet the food needs of large populations and support economic growth through agriculture.
The permissive regulatory environment in these regions is due to benefits like increased crop yields, reduced tillage, and lower labor costs for weed management. However, Europe takes a more conservative approach toward GMOs. Many European Union countries restrict their use due to concerns about glyphosate’s potential cancer risk, environmental impacts on biodiversity and soil health, and the rise of glyphosate-resistant weeds. These issues lead to strict regulations on GMO labeling and usage.
Testing for CP4 EPSPS is vital to ensure food safety and regulatory compliance. ProGnosis Biotech has developed the Rapid Test CP4 EPSPS to meet industry needs for reliable and swift GMO quantification. This test offers several key advantages, including precise measurement of CP4 EPSPS protein levels in soybeans and corn, expressed as % GMO with a range of 0-2%. It also provides qualitative visual results, is easy to use in its cassette format, and delivers fast results in 5 minutes with high sensitivity (LOD for soybeans at 0.04% and corn at 0.1%).
As genetically modified crops like CP4 EPSPS are increasingly adopted worldwide to improve agricultural productivity, rapid and accurate detection methods become crucial. ProGnosis Biotech offers an important solution with Rapid Test CP4 EPSPS, that sets itself apart by being quantitative, swift and precise. Increasing the frequency and quality of GMO testing will help ensure food safety and adherence to regulations, supporting this way sustainable farming and contributing to solving global food security issues.
