Natural rubber (NR, cis-1,4-polyisoprene) is applied in over 50,000 products. It has unique properties, which cannot be matched by synthetic rubber. The pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family is currently the only commercial source of NR. Alternative rubber-producing sources and systems are required to increase the biological and geographic diversity of natural rubber production, especially because of H. brasiliensis need for specialized growth conditions and its susceptibility to fungal pathogens. After describing rubber-producing plants, laticifer cells, rubber particles, and NR biosynthesis, this review focuses on the current challenges and potential ways to improve rubber production from Taraxacum kok-saghyz, a strong candidate alternative NR crop in temperate regions. In vitro culture, genetic engineering, and focused gene editing are discussed, in the context of rubber biosynthesis, but complementary breeding research (including interspecific hybridization and polyploidy induction), will be needed to fully develop this new rubber crop.

天然橡胶（NR，顺式-1,4-聚异戊二烯）应用于超过 50,000 种产品。它具有合成橡胶无法比拟的独特性能。属于大戟科的帕拉橡胶树 ( Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) 是目前 NR 的唯一商业来源。需要替代橡胶生产来源和系统来增加天然橡胶生产的生物和地理多样性，特别是因为巴西人需要特殊的生长条件及其对真菌病原体的易感性。在描述了产橡胶植物、乳母细胞、橡胶颗粒和 NR 生物合成之后，本综述重点关注当前面临的挑战和改善来自温带地区强大的候选天然 NR 作物蒲公英的橡胶产量的潜在方法。在橡胶生物合成的背景下讨论了体外培养、基因工程和重点基因编辑，但需要互补育种研究（包括种间杂交和多倍体诱导）来充分开发这种新的橡胶作物。