By David Church | Pinal Central
ELOY — In a time when drought and water concerns are on the rise, Pinal County farmers are seeking the right crops that can survive with less water.
Guayule, a shrub mostly found in Mexico and some Southwestern states such as Arizona, may be one of those crops with potential to help farmers use fewer resources.
Research conducted on the plant shows that it can be both less reliant on water and have multiple uses when harvested.
One of the biggest uses for the plant is producing natural rubber for tires.
Bridgestone Americas, a tire manufacturer, has put countless hours of research into the plant to see if it can be a suitable source for their product.
Bridgestone touched down in Arizona back in 2012, where it created a guayule processing and research center in Mesa.
