Improved-yield dandelions prepped for tire production

With supply falling short of demand for natural rubber, scientists in The Netherlands are literally planting seeds of hope for a viable solution. Researchers at the Dutch biotech firm KeyGene are engaged in developing the dandelion into a promising source of rubber. The dandelion's roots contain latex, the milky liquid that is a source for natural rubber. The latex from dandelion roots could serve as a needed source of material for tires.

According to estimates, demand worldwide for rubber will outstrip supply by 20 per cent in 2020. The problem is that, according to tire manufacturers, Apollo Vredestein, it is not possible to simply replace natural rubber extracted from the rubber tree with a synthetic variant.

To reduce dependence on the rubber tree, alternatives are sought. At KeyGene's special greenhouse environment, experiments are carried out in developing the dandelion to the point where it can become a rubber-source crop. This takes work. Because the dandelion's roots are smaller than ideal for commercial rubber production, KeyGene scientists have subjected the plant to its phenotyping process. The team hopes to achieve a more useful variety with a fatter root and higher yield, to better meet the demands of industrial processing.

KeyGene uses an approach that analyzes specimens of a given crop, scanning for mutations that will be beneficial in terms of yield or sustainability. The genetic material of strains with desirable characteristics is isolated and sequenced to create improved crops. As for the dandelion, in aiming for crop potential, the tinkering has involved "making crosses between" the Russian dandelion with the common dandelion, using DNA profiling technologies. KeyGene emphasizes that its method represents a quicker and more economical way of crop improvement than genetic modification.