Efecto del origen geográfico en la calidad morfológica de plantas de prosopis alba (fabaceae)

Abstract

Seed provenance has a genetic control over the behavioral characteristics of plants, whereby selection is an use- ful tool to achieve the maximum adaptation of the species to the environment. In this sense, different provenance

materials characterization provides information for choosing seed sources used in breeding programs, as well

as afforestation and/or reforestation projects. The aim of this work was established provenance ́s effect on mor- phological variables that constitute quality parameters in Prosopis alba seedlings from three geographic areas.

Morphological plants ́ variables were measured up to 150 days after planting. Provenance effect was significant for most of measured variables: plant ́s height, neck diameter (at least during the first 3 months of nursery), root volume, specific leaf weight and specific leaf area. Likewise, some of the morphological indices and quotients considered variables to determine plants ́ quality are affected by material ́s geographical origin: shoot length/

root length proportion, slenderness coefficient and index. Results allow affirming P. alba ́s provenance influenc- es plants ́ morphology determining the existence of two different groups: on one hand Santiago del Estero and

Chaco provenances, and on the other, Salta Norte origin.