Proximate Chemical Analysis and Effect of Age and Height of Oxytenanthera abyssinica on Fiber Morphology and Chemical Compositions for Pulp and Paper Production Potential

This study examined the chemical composition, fiber morphology, and physical properties of Oxytenanthera abyssinica culm to assess its pulping potential. Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI) and Franklin’s methods have been used for experiments. The statistical analysis showed that the chemical composition of O. abyssinica is influenced by the age of the plant. The amount of cellulose in the culm increases with age, while hand extractive content decreases with age. The average chemical content of the three years aged O. abyssinica was 49.26±0.13 wt%, 21.31±0.15 wt%, and 20.63±0.12 wt% for cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents, respectively. A significant difference exists between 1, 2, and 3-year aged plants (P