On the first part of this work the colorimetry theory for the CIELAB system was presented. In this paper the drying discoloration of radiata pine Pinus radiata at accelerated temperature was measured quantitatively and objectively. The results showed that the kiln brown drying would be detected until 3 mm below the surface by colorimetry and that this parameters values were influenced by the heterogeneity of the annual ring: earlywood/latewood relation and annual ring width. Also this measurements of the wood colour changes can allow to adjust the drying schedule in according to the coloration intensity allowed

En la primera parte de este trabajo se presentaron las bases teóricas en las que se sustenta la medición cuantitativa y objetiva del color de un material. En base al sistema CIELab, se cuantifican los cambios de color de la madera de pino radiata Pinus radiata observados durante el secado industrial bajo un programa convencional acelerado. Los resultados confirman que las mediciones cuantitativas del color en la superficie de la madera permiten detectar la presencia de los cambios de color productos del secado por debajo de la superficie hasta una profundidad de 3 mm. Tales cambios de color son influenciados por la heterogeneidad de los anillos de crecimiento: relación madera inicial/madera final y el ancho de anillos. Además permiten adaptar el programa de secado de acuerdo al nivel de intensidad de la coloración permitida

The colorimetry theory for the CIELab system today allows us to compute the chromatic coordinates of the raw timber colour along the wood - chain industry. The wood industry is nd strongly behind in such areas. Progress in the wood appearance description by means of colour and pattern characteristics would be suitable to classify the wood. It would also help to match pieces of wood in furniture and inside the houses, to study the wood colour change in wood ageing by photodecoloration or by drying operations, and to improve wood colour variability