Adaptation, Biometric Traits and Performances of Guayule Lines Grown in Two Mediterranean Environments

Leonardo Sulas, Giuseppe Campesi, Simone Canu, Antonio M. Carroni, Antonio Dore, Giovanna Piluzza, Maria M. Sassu and Giovanni A. Re
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Leonardo Sulas: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per il Sistema Produzione Animale in Ambiente Mediterraneo, Traversa La Crucca 3, località Baldinca, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Giuseppe Campesi: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per il Sistema Produzione Animale in Ambiente Mediterraneo, Traversa La Crucca 3, località Baldinca, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Simone Canu: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, Traversa La Crucca 3, Località Baldinca, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Antonio M. Carroni: Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’Analisi dell’Economia Agraria, 09025 Sanluri, Italy
Antonio Dore: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze delle Produzioni Alimentari, Traversa La Crucca 3, Località Baldinca, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Giovanna Piluzza: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per il Sistema Produzione Animale in Ambiente Mediterraneo, Traversa La Crucca 3, località Baldinca, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Maria M. Sassu: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per il Sistema Produzione Animale in Ambiente Mediterraneo, Traversa La Crucca 3, località Baldinca, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Giovanni A. Re: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto per il Sistema Produzione Animale in Ambiente Mediterraneo, Traversa La Crucca 3, località Baldinca, 07100 Sassari, Italy

Agriculture, 2020, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-13

Abstract: The perennial shrub guayule ( Parthenium argentatum A. Gray) has gained interest as a potential source of natural and hypoallergenic rubber in Southern Europe. Although, native to northern Mexico, it is suited to semi-arid and Mediterranean environments. A research study was conducted in Sardinia (Italy) to evaluate adaptation and biometric traits of introduced guayule lines and to determine the contents and yields of rubber and resin obtainable from its aboveground biomass. Seedlings of the accessions AZ-1, AZ-2, P803, and 11591 were field transplanted in 2015 at two locations of southern, and northern Sardinia, respectively, differing for annual precipitation. Plant survival rate, height and width, trunk diameter, leaf chlorophyll concentration and photosystem photochemical efficiency were monitored. Shoots were harvested at 30 months after transplanting and were partitioned into twigs and remaining stems and its rubber and resin contents were determined. Location markedly affected plant survival rates and biometric traits. Dry matter yield of aboveground components as well as contents of rubber and resin and plant rubber and resin yields differed significantly among accessions under comparison. We found that AZ1 and 11591 were the most successful accessions at southern Sardinia site, whereas 11591 was the only accession exhibiting a satisfactory plant survival rate in the northern location.

Keywords: Parthenium argentatum; Sardinia; adaptation; measurements; growth; biomass; natural rubber; resin; yield (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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