Determination of Important Pulp Properties of Hybrid Poplar by Near Infrared Spectroscopy

Madison

2005

S. 462-471

Bandaufführung

170189

Hybrid poplars are widely grown in the northwestern United States for manufacturing short fiber market pulp. Improvement of whole-tree basic density and pulp yield, important variables in the economics of pulp production, is an objective of tree breeding programs; but the number of trees analyzed is limited by expensive analytical methods. Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy provides a rapid alternative, and in this study we investigate its ability to estimate poplar pulpwood properties. Whole-tree cellulose content and pulp yield calibrations, based on 3- and 6-year-old clones, were generally strong, while relationships were weaker for basic density. Breast height cores from 6-year-old clones gave a strong core cellulose content calibration. Cellulose content and pulp yield calibrations based on NIR spectra from milled increment cores and whole-tree data gave strong relationships for 6-year-old clones, indicating that the prediction of these properties, on a whole-tree basis, using breast height increment cores may be possible.