How is Guayule latex harvested and manufactured compared to that of tropical latex?
The technology involves homogenizing the entire hedged Guayule plant. Rubber is found primarily in the bark and must be released in the processing. Branches are ground into a kind of “Guayule milkshake” by gently breaking open the cells in the plant, releasing intact rubber particles and creating an aqueous suspension. The suspension is then placed in a centrifuge for separation. Since the Guayule rubber particles are lighter than the aqueous solution, they are separated from the suspension. The rubber portion of the mixture is culled off the top (much the same way that cream is skimmed off milk) and purified into latex. Traditional latex is tapped from ducts, which are found in a layer immediately outside the cambium of the Hevea tree. The tapper shaves off a portion of the intact section of the bark and then cuts into this layer making certain not to damage the cambium, since that is where the growth of the tree takes place. The latex then flows and is captured in a cup placed below
