Guayule: Introducing a Potential Crop for Sustainable Soil Management in the Desert

Desert environments are characterized by arid conditions, restricted water availability, and nutrient shortages, which present unique challenges for soil health management. In arid and semi-arid environments like the desert Southwest, soils are prone to wind erosion due to traditional agronomic practices that support irrigated agriculture such as frequent conventional tillage and fallowing, which necessitates creative solutions for sustainable soil management (Elshikha et al., 2023). Guayule (Parthenium argentatum) emerges as a promising crop that can thrive, grow, and provide economic benefits to commercial growers while paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient agricultural future in the desert ecosystems of the US Southwest.