Brazil is the world’s largest producer of charcoal. Therefore, there is need for improvement in the gravimetric yield of conversion and the reduction of gas emissions, including greenhouse gases (GHGs), released during carbonization. The objective was to apply the methodology of Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) to evaluate the emission of GHG, mainly CO₂ and CH₄. The charcoal production kiln-furnace system used was composed of 4 kilns with a capacity of ~6 t of wood, each. The MRV cluster of coal gravimetric yield and gas burners were used to determine the gravimetric yield and burner efficiency and thus evaluate the emission of GHGs generated in the carbonization system. The carbonization was performed in an isolated way producing, in total, 3.34 t of charcoal, with an average gravimetric yield of 25.82%. The MRV methodology was effective for evaluating the GHG emissions. The wood burner reduced by 50% the methane burning and provided a reduction of 0.392 tCO₂ eq (23.91%). The humidity of wood and high precipitation were the main limiting factors in this research, and responsible for the decrease in the gravimetric yield. The kiln-furnace system was effective for a sustainable production with the use of non-continuous carbonization gas burners.

The reaction wood is formed in an attempt to remain upright tree in response to the action of forces such as winds, irregular crown or slope of the land that tend to incline it. In hardwoods, as in Eucalyptus, this type of wood is called tension wood and occurs in the region of the stem facing the face of force application. Indicative of the presence of this type of wood is the high shrinkage and basic density compared to normal wood. Once the basic density and shrinkage are parameters for determining the quality of the wood, this study aimed to evaluate the variation of basic density and shrinkage of opposite and tension wood along the radius in four species of Eucalyptus sp. Four tree species Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Eucalyptus maculata, Eucalyptus pilularis and Eucalyptus urophylla, with 32 years of age, were taken from an experimental planting of the Federal University of Lavras. Specimens were made to represent the diametrical variation of the opposite of tension wood in disks cut at the dbh. The results indicate that the properties of radial, tangential and volumetric shrinkage, coefficient of anisotropy and basic density did not differ statistically between the tensionand opposite wood.

This study aimed to analyze economically the production of wood and charcoal from a Eucalyptus plantation stratified in three classes of productivity in northwestern Minas Gerais. Were used data from not thinned Eucalyptus stands whose area was stratified in high, medium and low productivity, being described by the logistic model. The data were obtained and the economic evaluation of wood production and charcoal production was carried out. The economic evaluation was made by means of the indicators: Net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) as a function of the prices of wood and charcoal, the yield of wood in charcoal and the transport distance of wood to the charcoal production unit. The economic viability of production of Eucalyptus wood and charcoal depends on the productive capacity of the forest stand. The viability of timber and charcoal production is sensitive to the variations in the prices of both, the yield of wood in charcoal and the transport distance from the production area to the processing unit.

There is a lack of techniques for the rapid and accurate determination of wood quality for charcoal production with good energy characteristics. The association of NIR spectroscopy and important charcoal parameters allows the prediction of these characteristics. This is a fast method that does not require sample preparation before the reading. The spectral readings were performed with solid and ground samples, and presented the second best representation of the evaluated parameters. Data went was adjusted to correct for variations that could occur during the spectra reading. The treatment with the best results was the normal transformation of variation. The evaluated spectra were able to explain 77% of the data for the variable gravimetric yield, 88% for volatile materials content and 86% for fixed carbon content.

The Brazilian Cerrado has high diversity of species with non-timber potential. Hymenaea stigonocarpa, commonly known as Jatobá-do-cerrado, is among them. This species stands out for its high economic potential, since its fruits are used in the food and pharmaceutical sectors. It is important knowing this species representatives’ yield potential to improve their fruit management practices by analyzing their morphometry in association with their competitive environment. The aim of the present study is to build a probabilistic model for H. stigonocarpa fruit yield based on dendrometric variables and competition indices. In order to do so, 60 individuals belonging to this species were sampled in a Cerrado region in Minas Gerais State. Diameter at breast height (1.30 m - dbh), total height and competition indices at distances of 3, 6 and 9m were calculated. These variables were related to fruit yield and a model was adjusted to estimate the species’ yield probability. The quality of the sampled individuals was checked and each inventoried tree was classified based on stem quality, and on crown quality and lighting. Variable DBH helped estimating the species fruits’ yield probability based on the trend of fruit yield decrease due to individuals’ DBH increase. Likewise, the semi-dependent competition index, at 3m radius, helped estimating fruit yield. Yet, the increased competition has reduced the fruit yield probability. Smaller individuals were less competitive, but they were more likely to achieve higher fruit yield probability than the bigger ones.