271
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. J. Pastorino, P. Marchelli (eds.), Low Intensity Breeding of Native Forest
Trees in Argentina, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56462-9_10
Chapter 10
Genetic Breeding of Prosopis Species
from the “Great American Chaco”
Diego López Lauenstein, Ingrid Teich, Edgardo Carloni,
Mariana Melchiorre, Mónica Sagadin, Javier Frassoni,
and M. Jacqueline Joseau
10.1 Use and Domestication of “Algarrobos”: A Set
of Multipurpose Tree Species
In the Argentine Chaco, “algarrobos” wood (mainly Prosopis alba and P. nigra, but
also P. chilensis, P. flexuosa, P. hassleri, and other Prosopis of minor or local relevance), gives rise to a sawing industry that supports a significant number of jobs
(Kees and Michela 2016). In this region there are 678 sawmills, in which approximately 4500 people work and consume 419,000 m
3
of native wood per year, and
40% of this volume comes from different species of Prosopis. Other important
native species that supply raw material to these sawmills are Schinopsis balansae,
Schinopsis lorentzii, and Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco. More than 85% of the
establishments are micro-companies, and the rest are medium-sized companies
(Min. Agro. 2015). The raw material for these sawmills comes exclusively from the
native forest, which has led to a progressive environmental degradation, and also to
a decrease in log quality. Moreover, the average yield of the sawmills does not
exceed 35%, partly due to its low level of technification, but also due to the low
quality and unevenness of logs from unmanaged forests.
The algarrobos have been intensively used in Argentina for more than 50 years
for making high-quality solid wood furniture. Also, their wood has been traditionally converted in charcoal by means of craft methods with hemispherical brick
kilns. According to official statistics, 1663 ton of charcoal were made with Prosopis
D. López Lauenstein (*) · I. Teich · E. Carloni · M. Melchiorre · M. Sagadin
Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales, Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios
(IFRGV, UDEA) INTA-CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina
e-mail: lopez.diego@inta.gob.ar
J. Frassoni · M. J. Joseau
Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias – Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
M. J. Pastorino, P. Marchelli (eds.), Low Intensity Breeding of Native Forest
Trees in Argentina, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56462-9_10
Chapter 10
Genetic Breeding of Prosopis Species
from the “Great American Chaco”
Diego López Lauenstein, Ingrid Teich, Edgardo Carloni,
Mariana Melchiorre, Mónica Sagadin, Javier Frassoni,
and M. Jacqueline Joseau
10.1 Use and Domestication of “Algarrobos”: A Set
of Multipurpose Tree Species
In the Argentine Chaco, “algarrobos” wood (mainly Prosopis alba and P. nigra, but
also P. chilensis, P. flexuosa, P. hassleri, and other Prosopis of minor or local relevance), gives rise to a sawing industry that supports a significant number of jobs
(Kees and Michela 2016). In this region there are 678 sawmills, in which approximately 4500 people work and consume 419,000 m
3
of native wood per year, and
40% of this volume comes from different species of Prosopis. Other important
native species that supply raw material to these sawmills are Schinopsis balansae,
Schinopsis lorentzii, and Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco. More than 85% of the
establishments are micro-companies, and the rest are medium-sized companies
(Min. Agro. 2015). The raw material for these sawmills comes exclusively from the
native forest, which has led to a progressive environmental degradation, and also to
a decrease in log quality. Moreover, the average yield of the sawmills does not
exceed 35%, partly due to its low level of technification, but also due to the low
quality and unevenness of logs from unmanaged forests.
The algarrobos have been intensively used in Argentina for more than 50 years
for making high-quality solid wood furniture. Also, their wood has been traditionally converted in charcoal by means of craft methods with hemispherical brick
kilns. According to official statistics, 1663 ton of charcoal were made with Prosopis
D. López Lauenstein (*) · I. Teich · E. Carloni · M. Melchiorre · M. Sagadin
Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales, Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios
(IFRGV, UDEA) INTA-CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina
e-mail: lopez.diego@inta.gob.ar
J. Frassoni · M. J. Joseau
Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias – Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina