Using carbonate absorbance peak to select the most suitable regression model before predicting soil inorganic carbon concentration by mid-infrared reflectance spectroscopy

•96Tunisian soil samples were used to calibrate and validate SIC prediction models.•MIR absorption peak-based LR and full spectra-based PLSR models were used.•Both types of model were tested on 2178French soil samples for SIC prediction.•Peak at 2510 cm−1 on Test soils samples was used to select suitable model.•SIC was accurately predicted by a LR and PLSR coupling.