Germination with respect to temperature of two ArgentinianProsopisspecies

In order to detect the principal germination temperatures ofProposis flexuosaandProsopis chilensisseeds an experiment was carried out testing a wide range of temperatures, from 10–45°C. At 15°C the germinability decreased significantly, and so a second experiment was designed incubating seeds of the same species from different provenances at 15°C, in order to evaluate the inter-intraspecific variability in relation to germinative capacity at low temperatures. The optimum germination temperature was between 20 and 25°C forP. flexuosaand from 25 to 40°C forP. chilensis. The minimum temperature was near 10°C and the maximum 45°C for both species. At low temperatures,P. flexuosagerminated better thanP. chilensis. No differences in germination capacity were found between provenances for either species but a high variability was found at individual tree level within provenances.