There is a global shortage of natural rubber, and - brace yourselves - dandelions are once again being drafted for duty. During World War II, the Allies turned to the Russian dandelion, Taraxacum koksaghyz, from Kazakhstan, after Soviet scientists discovered its roots produced enough white milky latex to make natural rubber. But when the war ended, producers went back to their old flame, the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis), and the dandelion was unceremoniously dumped.
Fast forward to today, and the rubber tree is having a rough time: fungal diseases are spreading, extreme weather from the climate crisis is taking a toll, and global demand for rubber keeps climbing. So scientists are giving the dandelion a second look. Bonus: these plants grow in temperate climates, don't need pesticides or much water, and won't cause deforestation like tropical rubber plantations do.
In Norwich, a biotech partnership is now developing a high-yielding Russian dandelion with large, fast-growing roots, grown in glasshouses without soil using a misty air system. Their goal: produce about 3,000 tonnes of rubber a year. Meanwhile, in Germany, bicycle tyres have already been made from dandelions bred for increased latex. Take that, rubber trees.