Technical and economic feasibility of a guayule commodity chain in Mediterranean Europe

Sfeir, Nisrine; Chapuset, Thierry; Palu, Serge; Lançon, Frédéric; Amor, Ali; García, José García; Snoeck, Didier

doi:10.1016/j.indcrop.2014.04.043

Cited by 32 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…From our simulations (Sfeir et al, 2014), we found that the biomass could be sold to the biorefiner at D 300 ton −1 . The benefit for the farmer was then of D 300-D 147 = D 153 ton −1 of dry biomass.…”

Section: • Outputsmentioning

confidence: 85%

Feasibility of a guayule commodity chain in the Mediterranean region

Snoeck

Chapuset

García

et al. 2015

Industrial Crops and Products

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a b s t r a c t Natural rubber demand was 11 million tons in 2014 and is expected to reach 16 million tons by 2025 according to the International Rubber Study Group (IRSG). The expected limitation of natural rubber from Hevea induced an interest for the development of alternative sources of natural rubber. Guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray L.), being native to the Mexican Chihuahua desert, is a perennial crop of semi-arid area, with the potential of growing in the Mediterranean area. To assess the potential of guayule cultivation, CIRAD (France) and Wageningen University (The Netherlands) have conducted some on-farm guayule trials in southern Europe in partnership within the European based production and exploitation of alternative rubber and latex sources project (EU-PEARLS). Promising agronomic results have led to assess the profitability of a guayule commodity chain in the Mediterranean Europe area. Data on farming practices, biorefinery, costs of inputs were collected from the trials conducted in Spain and France, and from farmers and farmers' organizations in both countries. At farm level, different cost scenarios were tested, with guayule biomass being the sole output, with annual or biennial harvests. Our results showed that, based on a nine-year field cultivation, the farmer's breakeven point can be reached at a sale price of D 147 ton −1 of dry biomass (at 12 ton ha −1 ). At factory level, the biorefiner needs to sell water-extracted rubber as latex. By adding solvent extraction, it is possible to extract the remaining percentage of total rubber and the resin. In such case, the biorefiner's profits rises to D 691 ton −1 of extracted rubber, making guayule cultivation profitable. Bagasse sale for electricity production or wood pellets is a bonus to be considered too. Our results showed that, in these conditions, a guayule value chain in Europe could be profitable.We extrapolated the results from our experiments to other Mediterranean countrie's culture conditions. Our results showed that guayule cultivation would probably be more beneficial in the Southern Mediterranean countries, including Spain, than in the Northern countries (South of France). Introduction of guayule production in the Mediterranean region could contribute to improved sustainability in rural development projects, allow a new economic development of the regions, and contribute to provide a new sustainable crop alternative against the impacts of climate change such as longer and more severe drought stress.

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Section: • Outputsmentioning

confidence: 85%

Feasibility of a guayule commodity chain in the Mediterranean region

Snoeck

Chapuset

García

et al. 2015

Industrial Crops and Products

Self Cite

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“…Probably at the top of the range established for the price of sesquiterpenes (100-1000 € kg −1 ) [69]. This could significantly increase the net profit estimated at 211€ t −1 [68]. They could be introduced in the market as active substances for manufacturing pesticides (fungicides, insecticides and miticides) for agriculture, food and livestock industries, mature and relevant markets worldwide, with one billion pounds of pesticides annually applied to U.S. farms or among 350,000 and 400,000 ton of PPPs sale in the EU per year.…”

Section: Economic Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An economic feasibility analysis of a potential commercial facility in Europe [68], to produce latex, crude rubber, resin and bagasse as final products, showed that the breakeven price for guayule could change from 8.16 € kg −1 of dry rubber (far above the market price and not currently feasible) to 2.46 € kg −1 (approximately US$ 2.76 kg −1 ) when additional sources of revenue are included (rubber at 2.15 € kg −1 , resin at 2.10 € and bagasse at 0.10 €). This is a profitability calculated from a production of 810 kg ha −1 year −1 of natural rubber (90 ton total dry biomass in 10 year cultivation cycle, containing 9% of natural rubber) [68], while the expected production of the crop in the USA is 1400 kg ha −1 year −1 [66]. Valorized guayulin production could help off-set processing costs.…”

Section: Economic Considerationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Potential Applications of Guayulins to Improve Feasibility of Guayule Cultivation

2019

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Guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray) is an interesting alternative and renewable source of rubber/latex which has been used in the past. Guayule rubber and latex products are not available in the market largely because the raw material cost is higher than the current sources produced in South-East Asia and other tropical countries (Hevea brasiliensis). Guayule contains many other compounds whose joint exploitation could make guayule cultivation profitable, especially in semi-desert areas where cultivation of other crops is difficult or impossible. Guayulins A–D, sesquiterpene esters, appear to have some commercial promise. Despite being accumulated in relatively high concentrations (its majority representative, guayulin A, can account for up to 13.7% of the resin content of this plant, which itself ranges from 6%–12%), guayulins have received little direct attention from scientists. This review presents the current knowledge about the activity of these compounds and, based on known activities of similar compounds from other species, potential uses as fungicides, miticides and insecticides are suggested.

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“…Currently, guayule is considered as an alternative source, having the potential to become commercial crop, to produce natural rubber in Europe. Sfeir et al [6] evaluated technical and economic feasibility of a guayule commodity chain in Mediterranean Europe, indicating that this crop might be a sector commercially profitable only in the framework of a biorefinery approach. This requires the valorization of the whole plant biomass and that of the production of bioenergy and non-rubber co-products, to be converted into products and/or raw materials with high added value for different sectors [7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioactive Compounds from Leaves and Twigs of Guayule Grown in a Mediterranean Environment

Piluzza

Campesi

Molinu

et al. 2020

Plants

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Guayule (Parthenium argentatum) is one of the most promising alternatives to produce natural rubber. As the guayule leaves represent a waste byproduct in the rubber extraction process, their exploitation might contribute to the valorization of the whole plant biomass. The specific aim of our study was to determine the antioxidant capacity and the content of phenolic compounds in leaves and twigs of different guayule lines cultivated in a Mediterranean environment. The antioxidant capacity and the contents of phenolic were affected significantly by guayule accession and harvest time. Overall means in twigs represented about 60% of the corresponding leaf values for antioxidant capacity as DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) and not tannic phenolic and about 55% as ABTS (2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt), total phenolic, tannic phenolic and total flavonoid contents. Five individual phenolic compounds were identified in methanolic extracts of leaves. Neochlorogenic acid (62.5–174.8 mg g−1 DW) and chlorogenic acid (28.6–41.1 mg g−1 DW) were the most abundant phenolic acids. In addition to the compounds quantified in leaves, cynarin was identified only in twigs and for the first time in guayule biomass. Our results indicate that guayule leaves and twigs represent a rich source of antioxidants for potential applications in fodder, nutraceutical and pharmacological sectors.

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Technical and economic feasibility of a guayule commodity chain in Mediterranean Europe

Cited by 32 publications

References 7 publications

Feasibility of a guayule commodity chain in the Mediterranean region

Feasibility of a guayule commodity chain in the Mediterranean region

Potential Applications of Guayulins to Improve Feasibility of Guayule Cultivation

Bioactive Compounds from Leaves and Twigs of Guayule Grown in a Mediterranean Environment

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