Improving the Germination of Guayule Seed.

Guayule is an important source of non-allergenic latex as well as a potential source of biofuel. One of the greatest problems associated with cultivation of guayule is direct seeding. Current transplant systems substantially drive up production costs and restrict the amount of acres in production.  A series of experiments involving germination and salinity screenings suggested guayule seed has a relatively fair amount of salt tolerance and germination is affected by soil type and moisture availability. A successful direct seeding system will have to account for soil morphology and climate conditions at planting.