HIGHLIGHTS  The seed dormancy was strongly associated with the presence of glumes.  Germination does not depend on light; It occurs under a 12-h-light-dark photoperiod and in complete darkness.  Germination occurs over a wide range of temperatures. However, it is not tolerant to hydric and saline stress.

Prosopis ruscifolia is a pioneer tree species in flooding or saline areas. The aim of this work was to assess anatomical changes in roots and hypocotyls of P. ruscifolia seedlings induced to saline stress under controlled conditions. Seeds, collected in natural forests of Western Chaco region in Argentina, were sown on paper towels moisturized with saline solutions of 100, 200 and 300 mM of NaCl, and a control group with distilled water. Four repetitions of 50 seeds per treatment were sown, located in hermetic polystyrene boxes, and included in a seeding chamber, at 27 ºC and 12 hours photoperiod. Were studied 35 seedlings from each saline concentration; these seedlings were processed 12 days after sown to obtain microscopic samples. The anatomical variables measured in roots and hypocotyls were the following: main root diameter (µm), bark thickness (µm), number of cell strata in bark, central cylinder diameter (µm), pith diameter (µm), number of cell strata in the pericycle and the tangential diameter of vessels (µm). ANOVA analysis were performed with hypocotyl and root diameters as the dependent variable, and bark thickness (µm), number of cell strata in the bark, the central cylinder diameter (µm), the pith diameter (µm), number of cell strata in the pericycle, the tangential diameter of vessels and the saline concentration as independent variables. Results showed that the root diameter decreased with increasing saline concentrations (P < 0.0001). The bark thickness decreased at 100 mM (P < 0.0001) and the number of cell strata of bark increased to 300 mM (P < 0.0002). The central cylinder diameter decreased at 100 mM saline concentration (P < 0.0001) and the number of cell strata of the pericycle and the pith diameter reduced progressively until 300 mM. The tangential diameter of vessels decreased at 300 mM. These anatomical changes suggested alterations in the expansion and cell division caused by the salinity, and could limit lateral roots formation and reserves storage. Hypocotyls did not show significant anatomical changes in response to increasing salinity, with exception of stomata position and an increase of the hypodermis thickness. These changes indicated that the water stress imposed by low osmotic potential is caused by increasing saline concentration. The seedlings of P. ruscifolia experienced anatomical changes in response to tested saline concentrations in traits related to reserve storage, the absorption and conduction of water, and lateral roots formation.

Palabras-clave: malva blanca, temperatura, potencial osmótico, estrés salino.ABSTRACT -S. bonariensis (white mallow), tolerant to glyphosate, is important for the practice of direct sowing in Argentina. The germinating behavior of the species at different temperature conditions (namely 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 20/10, 25/15, and 30/20 °C in a 12 hour photoperiod of light); saline stress (0, 30, 50, 70, 90, 130, and 150 mM of sodium chloride solutions); and water stress (0, -0.2, -0.4, -0.6, -0.8, -1.

RESUMEN -Se estudió la germinación de semillas de Megathyrsus maximus al exponerlas a altas temperaturas y el efecto de diferentes profundidades de siembra y cantidades de residuos de cosecha en la emergencia de las plántulas. En laboratorio, se determinó la germinación y biomasa de semillas con y sin glumas y glumelas, expuestas a 0, 40, 60, 80 y 100 o C durante cinco minutos. Se realizaron dos experimentos en invernáculo para evaluar la emergencia de la maleza, primero a diferentes profundidades de siembra: 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 y 8 cm. Posteriormente, se evaluó emergencia con diferentes cantidades de residuos de cosecha: 0, 5, 8, 11, 13, 15 y 18 t ha -1 . Los resultados de los ensayos de temperatura se analizaron mediante análisis de covarianza y los datos de los ensayos de invernáculo mediante regresión. Los máximos porcentajes de germinación para semillas con y sin glumas y glumelas se obtuvieron a 40 o C y fueron del 35 y 48%, respectivamente; los mínimos valores se registraron a los 80 o C y fueron del 7 y 28%, respectivamente. La profundidad de siembra afectó la emergencia: un 51% se registró en el testigo, valor que disminuyó al 23,3% a los 7 cm y a 0% a los 8 cm. Los residuos de cosecha también afectaron la emergencia: con 0 a 18 t ha -1 , esta disminuyó del 64,8 al 0%. Puede concluirse que las estrategias implementadas en el manejo del cultivo de caña de azúcar afectarán la germinación y emergencia de M. maximus (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 8 cm) on the one hand, and in relation to different sugarcane crop residue quantities (0.5, 8, 11, 13, 15 and 18 t ha -1

This research was carried out in a giant Chinaberry tree (Melia azedarach var. gigantea) plantation located in the Province of Santiago del Estero, Argentina. At seven years of age, the plantation had reached the stage of high forest, with an original spacing of 4 m X 4 m. Fixed area plots are already installed for a study on growth and yield. Measurements were conducted on these plots by using two sampling methods of probability proportional to size (PPS), i.e., horizontal point sampling and horizontal line sampling, with variable size plots. Basal area factors K=1 and K=2 of the Bitterlich relascope were used in order to select the trees which made up the sample. Basal area, volume, and number of trees per hectare were estimated for each method. The resulting data were assorted by diameter class and subjected to analysis of variance in a random block design, where diameter classes were considered as blocks, basal area factors, as treatments, and fixed area plot sampling methods as controls. The relative efficiency of each method was also calculated. No significant difference among treatments was found at the one percent probability level. The horizontal point and the horizontal line sampling estimates are as accurate as those obtained with the control, whereas the relative efficiency of the PPS methods was greater than that of the control.