How a Xinjiang weed could reduce China’s reliance on Southeast Asian rubber
Chinese scientists have turned a dandelion-like weed into natural rubber, a step that could help cut China’s heavy reliance on imported rubber. Growing on the salty, alkaline shores at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, the plant looks much like an ordinary weed, with small yellow flowers and fluffy seeds. But when its root is broken, it oozes a milky…
A humble weed found in the salt and alkaline soils of China's Xinjiang Uygur region may hold the key to reducing the country's heavy dependence on imported natural rubber. Known as the rubber dandelion or Taraxacum kok-saghyz, this unassuming plant secretes a milky substance from its roots containing natural rubber. In a recent breakthrough, researchers harvested 40 kilograms of the substance from a 20-mu test field, demonstrating the plant's potential.
Natural rubber is a crucial resource for various products, from tires and cables to medical gloves and aerospace seals. China, the world's largest rubber consumer, relies heavily on imports to meet its demand, which stands at around 7 million tonnes annually. With domestic production accounting for less than 20%, the country is highly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
While the Brazilian rubber tree is the primary source of natural rubber, it thrives only in tropical climates, limiting its growth to Southeast Asia, where nearly all the world's natural rubber is produced. China's limited suitable planting areas exacerbate its rubber import reliance. The rubber dandelion, however, has the potential to change this.
Scientists have been researching the plant for over seven decades, with work temporarily halted in the 1950s due to market constraints. In 2012, renewed interest from researchers led to the development of a research chain, including seed innovation, breeding, cultivation techniques, and rubber extraction methods. The plant's adaptability to Xinjiang's harsh environment, with its saline, alkaline, and cold conditions, makes it an ideal candidate for cultivation in the region.
The extracted rubber from the dandelion root matches the molecular structure and performance of natural rubber from the Brazilian tree. With gene editing techniques, the rubber content in the root has been increased to nearly 30%. The team aims to expand cultivation to over 1,330 hectares in Xinjiang, utilizing previously idle saline and alkaline lands.
This development could significantly reduce China's reliance on imported rubber, enhancing the country's self-sufficiency and security in this vital resource.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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