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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #99970
Title: REGISTRATION OF SIX GUAYULE GERMPLASMS WITH HIGH YIELDING ABILITY

Author
item RAY, D - UNIV OF AZ, TUCSON, AZ
item DIERIG, DAVID
item THOMPSON, A - USWCL, PHOENIX, ARIZONA
item COFFELT, TERRY

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/31/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Latex allergies are becoming a serious health problem with over 6% of the U.S. population, 40% of medical workers, and 60% of multiple surgery cases having some allergic reactions to Heavea latex now widely used. The most promising alternative source of latex that does not cause allergies is guayule. However, higher yielding, faster growing, easier to establish lines are needed for guayule to be successful as a new crop. Six guayule germplasm lines were released jointly by the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service and The University of Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station in 1997. These lines are more uniform, and they grow faster and/or have higher rubber yields than earlier releases. These lines will make it possible to develop higher yielding, faster growing cultivars of guayule which, in turn will advance the commercialization of guayule.

Technical Abstract: Latex allergies are becoming a serious health problem with over 6% of the U.S. population, 40% of medical workers, and 60% of multiple surgery cases having some antibodies against Heavea latex proteins. The most promising alternative source of latex that does not cause allergies is guayule. However, higher yielding, faster growing, easier to establish lines are needed for guayule to be successful as a new crop. Six guayule germplasm lines (AZ-1, AZ-2, AZ-3, AZ-4, AZ-5, and AZ-6) were released jointly by the United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service and The University of Arizona Agricultural Experiment Station in 1997. They were compared in field tests to the released lines N565 and 11591 after 2 and 3 years of growth. AZ-1had a higher rubber content after 2 years' growth than N565 and 11591, and a higher resin content and rubber yield than 11591 after 2 and 3 years' growth. AZ-2 and AZ3 produced more plant dry weight after 2 and 3 years' growth and more resin and rubber after 2 years' than N565 or 11591. AZ2 and AZ3 also produced more resin and rubber after 3 years' than 11591. AZ-4 and AZ-5 had higher rubber content and yield after 2 years' and higher resin content after 2 and 3 years' growth than N565 and 11591. AZ-5 is more uniform in plant traits than AZ-4. AZ-6 produced more rubber after 2 and 3 years' than all but one of the other lines. These lines will make it possible develop higher yielding, faster growing cultivars of guayule.