Fibre morphological variations of some Nigerian Guinea savannah timber species

Abstract

Fibre morphology of some Nigerian tropical timber species were evaluated to determine their potentials as suitable source of raw material for pulp and paper making. The fibre dimension of the species showed that Syzygium guineense had the longest fibre length (2,0 mm) followed by Anogeissus leiocarpa (1,75 mm) while Albizia zygia had the shortest fibre length of 1,05 mm. Irvingia gabonensis had the largest fibre diameter while Vernonia colorata had the smallest. Vitellaria paradoxa had the widest lumen of 8,87 μm while Irvingia gabonensis had the smallest lumen and thickest (6,87μm) cell wall while Vernonia colorata had the thinnest (4,40 μm). Albizia zygia had the most slender fibres while Vitellaria paradoxa had the most rigid fibres. All the species had narrow fibre lumens and the cell walls were thick, which may have given poor results to the pulp made from them. The results of the analysis of variance showed that there was high significant variation in all the fibre dimensions and the derived values of the species. Duncan Multiple Range test showed that no statistical difference existed in the fibre length of Isoberlina doka, Khaya ivorensis and Albizia zygia. However, Vernonia colorata, Irvingia gabonensis and Vitellaria paradoxa had similar fibre length as well as Afzelia africana and Lannea welwitchii. All the species passed the Runkel Ratio < 1 acceptable values for paper making fibre except Vitellaria paradoxa and Anogeissus leiocarpa with Runkel Ratio value of 1,38 and 1,03. Syzygium guineense and Irvingia gabonensis passed flexibility coefficient > 0,55 for an acceptable value for paper making. All the fibres were elastic except Vitellaria paradoxa and Anogeissus leiocarpa.