Research on natural rubber substitutes makes progress

Chinese scientists made significant progress in analyzing koksaphyz genetic sequences, according to the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Natural rubber is an important industrial material, the global consumption of which totaled 12.14 million tons in 2015. China is a major consumer of natural rubber, with the importing volume exceeding 80%.

Natural rubber widely used in the past originated from Brazilian hevea, but the growable area is limited and it is vulnerable to diseases and pests.

Scientists discovered that the root of koksaphyz is capable of synthesizing natural rubber and synanthrin of high molecular weight.

The plant is a possible substitute of natural rubber.

Today, Li Jiayang from the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology led his team and completed the draft of high quality koksaphyz genome, including over 46,000 genes.

Chinese scientists further compared the genomes of lactiferous plants and other plants, identifying the paths through which koksaphyz synthesizes rubber and synanthrin.

Li said the research outcome will accelerate the domestication of koksaphyz from a wild plant to economic crop, boosting the development of China’s natural rubber industry.