Cornish, a professor at Ohio State University who studies rubber alternatives, isn't the only one pouring energy into alternative crops like that desert shrub, guayule, or the rubber dandelions that bloom with yellow petals in the greenhouse where Cornish works. And in Nebraska and other parts of the central U.S., green grasses of sorghum spring up, waving with reddish clusters of grains. Instead, they're crops that many companies, philanthropic organizations and national and international entities tout as promising alternatives to fight climate change. Most rubber processing happens overseas, and the U.S. isn't prepared to process rubber domestically. That's why specialty markets will be critical if these crops have any hope of taking off here, Cornish said.

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Persons: Katrina Cornish, guayule, isn't, Cornish, Nate Blum, Blum, James Gerber, Gerber, there's, It’s, ”, Tesla, Guayule, Bill Niaura, “ You’re, Curt Covington, Covington, Joshua A . Bickel, Ross D, Franklin, Melina Walling Organizations: Ohio State University, Bridgestone, U.S, Agriculture Organization, AgAmerica, Farmers, Associated Press Locations: United States, Arizona, Nebraska, U.S, India, Saharan Africa, South Asia, Americas, Colorado, Wooster , Ohio, Eloy , Arizona, AP.org