In degraded forest ecosystems, reintroduction of keystone-woody species is an important step for restoration because it provides regeneration niches. However, lack of information on how to propagate species restricts the use of native species; specially in tropical dry forests where seed germination is seasonal and is synchronized with the onset of the wet season. We evaluated the dormancy-breaking and germination requirements of nine keystone-woody species from Dry Chaco Forest. Most fresh viable seeds of the keystone species are nondormant, but viability decreases during dry-cold storage restricting the use of some species. Seeds of three keystone species germinated to higher percentages in light than darkness and those of five species germinated equally well in light and darkness; seeds of Castela coccinea germinated to higher percentages in darkness than in light. Alternating vs. constant temperatures had no effect on germination in seven species. Seeds of Anisocapparis speciosa and Cynophalla retusa were nondormant and remained viable for only 1 month during cold-dry storage; and 62–95% of the seeds of the other seven species were nondormant. Dormancy-break was studied in five of the seven species; seeds of four species had physiological dormancy and one had physical dormancy. Dormancy-breaking was promoted by environmental conditions in the habitat, i.e. warm stratification, after seed dispersal. Castela coccinea, Achatocarpus praecox, Mimosa detinens, and Capparicordis tweedieana are the most suitable keystone species for the restoration of overgrazed areas in the Dry Chaco Forest because their seeds germinate to a high percentage and retain viability during dry storage at low temperatures. Seeds of Mimosa detinens and Capparicordis tweedieana required mechanical scarification and 6-weeks of warm stratification, respectively, for dormancy-break.

在退化的森林生态系统中，关键木本物种的重新引入是恢复的重要步骤，因为它提供了再生生态位。然而，缺乏关于如何繁殖物种的信息限制了本地物种的使用；特别是在热带干旱森林中，种子发芽是季节性的，与雨季的开始同步。我们评估了 Dry Chaco Forest 的九种主要木本植物打破休眠和发芽的要求。关键物种的大多数新鲜有活力的种子是非休眠的，但在干冷储存期间活力会降低，从而限制了某些物种的使用。三个关键物种的种子在光照下的发芽率高于黑暗，五个物种的种子在光照和黑暗中的发芽率相同；Castela coccinea种子黑暗中的发芽率高于光照。交替与恒定温度对七个物种的发芽没有影响。Anisocapparis speciosa和Cynophalla retusa的种子是非休眠的，在冷干贮藏期间仅能保持 1 个月的活力；其他七个物种的种子中有 62-95% 是非休眠的。对七个物种中的五个进行了休眠中断研究；4个物种的种子处于生理休眠状态，1个物种处于物理休眠状态。种子散布后，栖息地的环境条件促进了休眠的打破，即温暖的分层。Castela coccinea、Achatocarpus praecox、Mimosa detinens和Capparicordis tweedieana是恢复干查科森林过度放牧地区最合适的关键物种，因为它们的种子发芽率很高，并在低温干燥储存期间保持活力。Mimosa detinens和Capparicordis tweedieana的种子分别需要机械划痕和 6 周的温分层才能打破休眠。