Agave Growth and Productivity in California as a new Drought Tolerant Crop

California’s agriculture faces growing challenges with climate change, prolonged droughts, and regulations limiting water access. Agave is a promising option as a drought-tolerant crop, demanding minimal irrigation and other inputs. Its economic viability is also attractive, given the potential uses for distilled spirits and beverages, syrups, textiles, paper, biofuel, and feedstock. However, being a plant traditionally grown in Mexico, there is limited research on the growth of different agave species in California’s climates, making cultivation for optimized productivity and yield unknown. This study aims to better understand the growth and performance of different agave species throughout California.