Workpackages

Rubber pathway analysis & improvement

To increase the production of rubber and the agricultural productivity of Russian dandelion and guayule we will investigate the biochemical pathways involved in rubber biosynthesis. Understanding the transcriptional regulation of and potential bottlenecks in the underlying pathways would allow us to improve the amount and quality of the rubber. To accomplish this, genes encoding proteins/enzymes that enable an increased flux of acetyl-CoA to isoprene units (IPP) and in the final steps of rubber biosynthesis will be identified and analysed.

Guayule germplasm and agronomy

As guayule is already partially domesticated our objective is to define the potential -  in Southern Europe - for cultivation of existing lines of guayule available from the USDA, using agronomic practises already established in the USA.  Biomass and latex samples from different tissues, developmental stages and different guayule lines will be produced by PRI and CIRAD. A NIRS (near-infrared spectroscopy) method to determine latex and rubber content will be developed to allow measurements under field conditions.

Germplasm, breeding and agronomy of Taraxacum koksaghyz (Russian dandelion)

Russian dandelion has not been subjected to systematic breeding efforts, and most lines developed between 1930 and 1950 in various programmes have been lost. Therefore, germplasm of T. koksaghyz will be collected in Central Asia, its centre of diversity, and subsequently characterized for rubber properties and genetic diversity. Genetic maps for molecular rubber breeding in T. koksaghyz will be developed, and genes limiting rubber production and their regulatory elements will be identified. Using this information, improved T. koksaghyz germplasms will be generated by combining natural genetic variation, induced mutations and introgressed genes. Agricultural performance will be investigated in the greenhouse and small field plots. In the third year two large field trials in Germany and Spain will be conducted to produce dandelion rubber which will be used for further processing and application testing.

Extraction of guayule rubber, application testing and development of products

Latex produced from EU-grown guayule will be tested, to be able to select suitable sites for commercial guayule farms, as well as best growing and extraction practices for Europe. Performance properties required in commercially-acceptable dipped and foamed latex products will guide this selection. Bulk (or solid) rubber applications will also be evaluated from practical and economic perspectives. The data, together with those from the closely related WP3 will allow a complete economic analysis of the opportunity for profitable guayule production in the EU. WP5 will have strong links with WP6 which will build on the guayule experience.

Extraction of rubber from Russian dandelion, application testing and development of products

This workpackage is concerned with isolation of rubber from the Russian dandelion, via determination its basic polymer properties into finally making prototype products derived from it. It will give insight in the relation between the extraction methods and the final rubber material properties that can be obtained. WP6 will have strong cross-links with WP5 (extraction and application of guayule rubber) and WP4 (germplasm breeding and agronomy of dandelion).

Desk-studies on biorefining co-products and on socioeconomic issues

A desk-study on biorefining co-products from guayule and Russian dandelion will track and summarize new developments in biorefining and co-product valorization relevant to the EU-PEARLS project, while the desk-study on socioeconomic issues will help the team to judge the effect of external influences affecting the economics of producing natural rubber from guayule and Russian dandelion.

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