Guayule is an industrial crop that can be grown for its natural rubber production and phytoremediation capability in the Western San Joaquin Valley, California

Abstract

This study evaluated the growth characteristics of six guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray) accessions irrigated with waters high in boron, selenium, and calcium, and sodium salts under greenhouse conditions. The synthetic irrigation waters used in this investigation mimic the water quality used frequently for irrigation in the westside of the San Joaquin Valley, California, U.S.A. Guayule is a natural rubber-producing industrial crop that is tolerant of marginal soils and drought, and it may be grown as an alternative crop with poor quality waters for this region. Among the six accessions investigated for 55 days, three of them showed increased natural rubber concentration when grown under saline irrigation conditions compared to a non-saline irrigation (control). Elemental analysis in the leaves revealed that guayule can also absorb and accumulate potentially toxic elements. Results from this study suggest that specific accessions of guayule can be grown under saline irrigation conditions. Guayule exhibited potential bioremediation benefits under agronomic conditions found in the westside of the San Joaquin Valley, CA.

Keywords

• Selenium
• Boron
• Salts
• Guayule
• Natural rubber
• Phytoremediation