Yulex and SGB team up on guayule-based rubber

ERJ staff report (TP)

California / Arizona − San Diego-based SGB Inc. is teaming up with Phoenix-based Yulex Corp. to more quickly develop guayule rubber, reported Angela Gonzales from the Phoenix Business Journal.

The rubber made from the guayule plant can replace traditional tropical or petroleum-based rubber for medical, consumer and industrial markets.

The two companies are collaborating to establish a genomics and molecular breeding platform focused on accelerating the crop improvement of guayule.

SGB will combine breeding and selection with genomic technologies, identifying genetic markers that represent increased rubber yield. SGB also will use new breeding strategies designed to accelerate the crop development.

“SGB’s proven molecular breeding and genomics platform technologies will be invaluable as we accelerate the development of next generation Guayule crop lines,” said Jeffrey Martin, president and CEO of Yulex. “Our partnership will enable us to dramatically improve yield, reduce input costs and introduce new traits that will drive the deployment of Guayule as a sustainable, industrial crop on global basis.”

Partnering is nothing new for Yulex.

In January, the company forged a partnership with Milan, Italy-based Versalis to launch an industrial production complex in Southern Europe to make guayule-based biorubber materials.

It also has been working with the University of Arizona, and recently gave a $3 million grant to the Tucson university to apply classical breeding along with modern tools for improving the guayule crops.

This is an external link and should open in a new window. If the window does not appear, please check your pop-up blocking software. ERJ is not responsible for the content of external sites.

Full story from the Phoenix Business Journal