Molecular Weight of Rubber Contained in Guayule Bark, Wood, and Whole Stem

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Abstract
Guayule bark not only produces most of the plant's rubber, its rubber Mw and Mn are also significantly higher than those of the wood. Further studies are expected to throw light on the mechanisms that control the production of different-sized polymers in different guayule tissues. This investigation shows that every guayule genotype may yield rubbers with three different molecular weights. Based on needs of the industry, whole guayule shrub, its bark, or its wood may be processed for rubber extraction. Since, depending on genotypes, 70 to 85% of the rubber is in the bark, and since bark rubber has the highest molecular weight, the possibility of processing only bark needs serious considerations as new cultivars with increased rubber yield become available. Based on the observed variation of molecular weight relative to the tissues used, the genotype, and the age of the plant, it is critical to develop standardized procedures for molecular-weight determination so that molecular-weight values, obtained by different laboratories, may be compared.

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