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Determination of quality parameters such as lignin and extractive content of wood samples by wet chemistry analyses takes a long time. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled with multivariate calibration offers a fast and nondestructive alternative to obtain reliable results. However, due to the complexity of the NIR spectra, some wavelength selection is generally required to improve the predictive ability of multivariate calibration methods. Pinus brutia Ten. is the most growing pine species in Turkey. Its rotation period is around 80 years; the forest products industry has widely accepted the use of Pinus brutia Ten. because of its ability to grow on a wide range of sites and its suitability to produce desirable products. Pinus brutia Ten. is widely used in construction, window door panel, floor covering, etc. Determination of lignin and extractive content of wood provides information to tree breeders on when to cut and how much chemicals are needed for the pulping and bleaching process. In this study, 58 samples of Pinus brutia Ten. trees were collected in Isparta region of Turkey, and their lignin and extractive content were determined with standard reference (TAPPI) methods. Then, the same samples were scanned with near-infrared spectrometer between 1,000 and 2,500 nm in diffuse reflectance mode, and multivariate calibration models were built with genetic inverse least squares method for both lignin and extractive content using the concentration information obtained from wet standard reference method. Overall, standard error of calibration (SEC) and standard error of prediction (SEP) ranged between 0.35% (w/w) and 2.40% (w/w). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers world news briefs on the Carl-Olof Ternryd Research award presented to Professor Holger Militz from the Department of Wood Science, the fifty year anniversary celebration of the journal "Cellulose Chemistry and Technology" in Paris and the World Wood Day celebration held in Kathmandu, Nepal.