Qualitative and quantitative variations in rubber content among different guayule cultivars
1993
Sidhu, O.P. | Ratti, N. | Behl, H.M.
Quantitative and qualitative variations in rubber from 14 cultivars of guayule were studied. Average molecular weight (Mw) was determined through gel permeation chromatography. There were wide variations in phenology, resin, rubber content, and rubber quality; however, no correlation could be observed among biomass, resin, and rubber content. Most of the cultivars had a unimodal refractive index response of polyisoprene except in those cultivars where resin content exceeded that of rubber. The high resin percentage affected the quality of rubber and not its quantity. The present study does not specify the essential threshold temperature minimum to trigger cis-polyisoprene synthesis. However, since all of the cultivars had low Mw values, the temperature minimum may be critical for controlling the balance between cis-polyisoprenoid and trans-resin biosynthesis. This paper provides additional information on the rubber-resin relationship and the quality of rubber produced by different cultivars of guayule. It also points to the need for additional research on correlation of genetic makeup with temperature/environmental factors in rubber yield and yield quality.
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