Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists have developed a new technique for transforming guayule plants into a latex substitute. This technique allows more efficient transformation than earlier methods, allowing more rapid guayule improvement that should add value to guayule. Guayule is a shrub that is native to the desert regions of southwestern Texas and Mexico.
Guayule produces a latex rubber that is valuable because it is an alternative to conventional rubber. Guayule latex also possesses hypoallergenic properties, which may have significant medical implications. With this new technique, agronomically important genes can be more effectively transformed into guayule lines and ultimately boost the latex yield of guayule plants.
ARS's transformation technique uses pieces of leaves rather than the less efficient traditional method of transforming the shoot nodes.
This new technique is no more expensive than other techniques currently being used. This invention should lead to large-scale production runs for guayule transformation, which could have major industrial implications.
More info: Tara T. Weaver-Missick, tara.weavermissick@ars.usda.gov, 301-504-6965
