Termites and wood rot cause an estimated $7 billion worth of damage in the U.S. every year. Guayule plant fibers are being tested and used to make construction materials such as particle board, lumber, plywood, railroad crossties, etc. that are termite anti-feedants and anti-fungals. Studies indicate that guayule resin protects wood against termites, molluscan borers, and fungal attack.
Production of insect and rot-resistant wood is important in green building and our world today because it would reduce the need to harvest trees and reduce the cost of replacing termite-damaged wood structures thus conserving forest resources world-wide.
