OPTIMUM GERMINATIVE CONDITIONS OF A MULTIPURPOSE SHRUB FROM PATAGONIA: PROSOPIS ALPATACO (FABACEAE)

BOERI P; CEDRÉS GAZO, M; FAILLA, M; BARRIO DA; DALZOTTO D; SHARRY, S

DARWINIANA

INSTITUTO DE BOTÁNICA DARWINION

Lugar: Buenos Aires; Año: 2019 vol. 7 p. 199 - 207

0011-6793

Several factors limit the native plants production. The aim of this study was to optimize the germinationof Prosopis alpataco f. alpataco from northeastern Patagonia, Argentina. This is a key species of theMonte, one of the most threatened South American ecoregions. Seeds were incubated in chamber at25 - 45 ºC in darkness for 7 days, evaluating eight germinative parameters. Chemical scarification withH2SO4 (2, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 min) and mechanical scarification (by partial and total cutting of theseminal cover edge) were tested. The best results (100 % germinative capacity reached in one day) wererecorded at 30 ºC (optimum germination temperature) in seeds scarified with H2SO4 (during 30 min) andwith total cutting of the seminal cover edge. The use of H2SO4 is recommended for mass propagationand the total cutting of the seminal cover edge for small-scale production. It can be concluded that P.alpataco f. alpataco from northeastern Patagonia had a higher germinative response after an exposureto a range of relatively simple chemical or mechanical treatments. The techniques achieved here providevaluable information for conservation and production of plants of this species. This work represents thefirst optimum germinative conditions of P. alpataco f. alpataco from northeastern Patagonia. Its resultsopen new lines for future research of other austral Prosopis species.