Abstract: Improved methods and processes of extracting rubber from guayule and guayule-like fibrous plant material are disclosed herein in. The methods and process advantageously may include the step of drying the plant material to a moisture content of about 18% to about 36% to produce a feedstock, performing at least a first grind of the feedstock, optionally adding an antioxidant to the feedstock, combining an extraction solvent with the feedstock after the antioxidant has been added to the feedstock to form a miscella, and recovering rubber from the miscella.

Abstract: A guayule harvester comprises a hydraulic-powered cutting and conveying device pulled and powered by a farm tractor. Guides lift the shrub and expose the trunk to a pair of horizontal circular saw blades at the same time that opposed pick-up belts engage the shrub branches and impel the shrub to an elevator conveyor belt. The elevator belt carries the now-severed shrub to the height of the entrance to a transport trailer, and then drops it onto an extendable lateral conveyor, which drops it into the carrier.