The germination of quality protein maize (QPM) cultivar, Obatanpa, was compared to normal endosperm (NEM) cultivar, Okomasa, on a temperature gradient plate at constant temperatures ranging from 15-45 oC. Germination occurred at all temperatures except at 42.5 oC for the QPM cultivar and 45 oC for the NEM cultivar. The rate of germination of the NEM cultivar was faster than that of the QPM cultivar at all temperatures. The thermal times for median germination were 46 for QPM and 40.7 oCd for the NEM cultivar. The cardinal temperatures (base, Tb, optimum, To and ceiling, Tc) for the NEM cultivar were Tb: 7, To: 30 and Tc: 48.2 oC. The corresponding values for the QPM cultivar were Tb: 7.6, To: 27.5 and Tc: 43.4 oC. The base and optimal temperatures were not significantly different but the ceiling temperature for the QPM was significantly lower(P