Rapid estimation of kraft pulp yield and lignin in Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Leucaena leucocephala by diffuse reflectance near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)

Near-infrared spectroscopy has been used to develop calibration models for the rapid determination of kraft pulp yield (KPY) and lignin in Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Leucaena leucocephala. The correlation coefficient for cross-validation is 0.90 for KPY and 0.95 for lignin prediction, while the root mean square error for cross-validation for KPY and lignin prediction are 1.46 and 0.77, respectively. The method has been validated with 37 samples of E. camaldulensis and 18 samples of L. leucocephala. The root mean square error of prediction for KPY (1.53) is higher than for lignin (0.77). The method is rapid and can be used for screening a large number of samples. Keywords: Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Leucaena leucocephala, lignin, NIRS, pulp yieldSouthern Forests 2010, 72(2): 106–11