I’m on a tight deadline the next two weeks but will post press releases that will come my way.

This one from guayule producer Yulex Corporation, which announced the opening of a Seed & Genetics Center (I’m guessing it is at its headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona) that will focused on plant breeding, molecular genetics and development of agronomic best practices to support the global cultivation of sustainable guayule plantations. Yulex is targeting its guayule as feedstock source for medical, consumer, industrial and bioenergy applications.

Guayule plant improvement strategies include novel, non-GMO cultivar development methods designed to maximize plant productivity for large-scale deployment and commercial production of this industrial crop. Additional research activities include the refinement of sustainable production techniques designed to improve guayule’s rubber yield and quality through natural processes. As part of Yulex’s global licensing program, which has started with ENI’s Versalis in Europe, licensees will have access to commercial quantities of guayule seeds developed by the Yulex Center to establish crops in new regions.

Yulex and Yulex’s licensees plan significant global guayule acreage expansion. The Yulex Center will provide ongoing R&D, coordinate with local Universities in new growing areas, and support commercial guayule programs.

The Center directly administers and coordinates Yulex’s recently announced agricultural partnerships to improve guayule for commercial production. Work with the University of Arizona applies classical breeding to existing Yulex guayule lines and selected outliers. SGB provides an accelerated breeding program to develop new varieties that produce high yields of rubber under diverse environmental conditions.