The quick and non-invasive
evaluation of lignin from biomass has
been the focus of much attention. Several types of spectroscopies,
for example, near-infrared (NIR) and Fourier transform–Raman
(FT–Raman), have been successfully applied to build quantitative
predictive lignin models based on chemometrics. However, due to the
effect of sample moisture content and ambient humidity on its signals,
NIR spectroscopy requires sophisticated pre-testing preparation. In
addition, the current FT–Raman predictive models require large
variations in the independent value inputs as restrictions in the
corresponding mathematical algorithms prevent the effective biomass
screening of suitable genotypes for lignin contents within a narrow
range. In order to overcome the limitations associated with the current
methods, in this paper, we employed Raman spectra excited using a
1064 nm laser, thus avoiding the impact of water and auto-fluorescence
on NIR signals. The optimal baseline correction method, data type,
mathematical algorithm, and internal reference were selected in order
to build quantitative lignin models based on the data with limited
variation. The resulting two predictive models, constructed through
lasso and ridge regressions, respectively, proved to be effective
in assessing the lignin content of poplar in large-scale breeding
and genetic engineering programs.