Dominic Michelin

A native of France, Dominic Michelin is earning his master’s degree in translation from the University of Paris. He chose to focus on guayule for his research paper. He shares his guayule story below in our first of several planned guest posts.

I could almost say my “affair” with guayule started unexpectedly on a sunny day in August in my centuries-old cool stony little house located in Northern Burgundy, France.

Television was on and I was, rather than watching, listening to it from afar. I suddenly caught a couple of distant words from the current report that happened to be shot in the southern French region of Montpellier. I understood something about a new experimental crop originating from somewhere in southwestern America. My attention grew and I could catch a glimpse of a small green field and a few last words about a promising new plant, the name of which I could never get as the report was drawing to an end. 

As a matter of chance, my mind had been on the watch for a while, being at the turn of a new professional life, aiming at becoming a specialized translator from English and Spanish to French, and looking for an original and specific research subject for my paper in the field of environment. I grabbed my laptop right away, and started to follow backwards the narrow path starting from the television channel site, and discovered what the report was all about.

I didn’t know yet that guayule had already cast its spell on me. From that moment, everything went quickly. I got in touch with people around the world who all seemed to be ready to share their passion and hopes about this weird little shrub so full of secrets and assets.

As I moved on along the track, I had the strange and secure feeling that I had found my new research paper subject. I couldn’t believe how this plant was unknown and famous at the same time, as I discovered its history. The more I found, the more I liked it. Be it its etymology, its origins, its checkered history, exciting present and so hopeful future, I felt I had found a new invention or discovery, likely to be part of the current century environmental and economical peaks.

Here I am today, having collected lots of documentation on guayule, met guayule fans via internet and in France, checking libraries old shelves to know more about the magical shrub I have been advertising and promoting. Since then, I have learned a lot about botany, agronomy, latex properties and rubber industry and a whole world to discover is still ahead.

Last but not least, I feel happy and honored to have been able and allowed to translate – as the most interesting part of my research paper – a substantial extract of the most recent, extensive and qualitative work done on the subject. I do hope I’ll be part of the great – hopefully best ever – revival of guayule for the 21^st century.

- Dominic Michelin

In the same way that petroleum and natural gas provided the basis for an enormous petrochemicals industry beginning over 50 years ago, living plant-based materials are being used to create a clean, bio-based chemicals industry today.

Yulex CEO Jeff Martin addresses executives at the Next Generation Bio-Based Chemicals Conference.

Martin spoke on a panel that also included companies like OPX Biotechnologies, a Boulder, Colo. startup commercializing a bio-based acrylic, and Huntsman, a Texas-based global manufacturer of chemicals, which is developing bio-based surfactants.

Martin explained to the crowd how Yulex had profitably advanced and commercialized natural rubber latex materials from guayule from its base of operations in the U.S. Southwest. He also touched on the company’s plans for expanding its production facility and expanding into Western Texas as well as Australia where it already has a foothold.

“Without natural rubber, literally the country doesn’t roll,” said Martin about the critical strategic importance of rubber in the U.S. economy.

The company’s rubber yields from guayule have grown significantly in recent years through selective breeding alone, Martin said. Now the yield per acre is on par with that of a rubber tree plantation, and Martin said a geneticist has joined the company’s team to help enhance rubber latex production through a ramped up natural breeding program. 

With 40,000 products made from natural rubber, Yulex is carefully targeting higher value products including high end sporting equipment and apparel as well as the existing medical markets it supplies. The company has achieved profitability based on its current business model, but Martin said there is value in the plant’s resins which are similar to pine resins used in many consumer and industrial products especially for adhesive applications.

Guayule biomass is also being explored as a source for biofuels. Currently, the bagasse or leftover plant material at the company’s Maricopa, Arizona facility is sold to Scott’s Miracle Gro which is able to use the product as part of its famous line of fertilizer products. However, Martin said that the bagasse could be used to generate energy for the Yulex production plant and for sale. 

Yulex currently works closely with several Arizona Indian tribes ensuring land and water is available for guayule cultivation, and Martin explained that many former cotton growers have found the switch to guayule an easy one as the planting and harvesting practices are comparable, although guayule requires less water once established. Martin described cotton as a “failing industry” in the U.S. noting that 50 years ago, there were 30 million acres of cotton growing here, and that today there is less than 9 million. Finding crops that help growers in the U.S. Southwest diversify is an additional benefit that Yulex Corp. brings to the region.

For more, see http://yulex.com.

The report emphasizes the usefulness of guayule’s rubber content as well as its potential to produce energy from leftover biomass after rubber extraction. Because it’s a desert crop, requiring comparatively little water to produce and the rubber extraction process uses water and no harsh solvents, the report also acknowledges that it is a relatively clean product whether used for energy, rubber or both. Have a listen on their website.

Guayule cells produce latex.

Plastids are major organelles found in the cells of plants and algae. Plastids manufacture and store important chemical compounds used by the cell.

The DNA barcoding study completed by Yulex and USDA ARS scientists allows genetic identification of commercially significant lines of guayule (Latin name: Parthenium argentatum) for the production of latex and related sustainable materials.