Stable isotope analysis (N and C) of fossil cereal grains is regularly explored as a means of obtaining insights to past crop growing conditions and agricultural practices. In this study, we assessed how several growth conditions can affect δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values of modern cereal grain with the aim to help understand isotopic values from ancient cereal remains. We investigated the impact of fertilizer intensity, plant density, and soil type on cereal grain δ¹⁵N and δ¹³C values in a short-term field experiment using hulled and naked barley, bread wheat, emmer wheat, einkorn, spelt wheat, rye, and oat. We found the following key results: 1) while fertilizing had a significant effect on δ¹⁵N values in grain, the impact varied between species, and cereals grown in heavy clay had consistently higher δ¹⁵N values in grain compared to those grown in light sandy soil, and 2) the δ¹³C values were significantly different between cereal species, but the difference was very similar between the two experimental site-locations. These findings obtained from plants grown under known conditions contribute to better understand how natural conditions and anthropogenic activities effect crop isotopic data and is of relevance for isotopic research on archaeological crop remains.

人们定期探索化石谷物的稳定同位素分析（N 和 C），作为了解过去作物生长条件和农业实践的一种手段。在这项研究中，我们评估了几种生长条件如何影响现代谷物的 δ ¹⁵ N 和 δ ¹³ C 值，旨在帮助了解古代谷物遗迹的同位素值。我们在短期田间试验中研究了施肥强度、植物密度和土壤类型对谷物 δ ¹⁵ N 和 δ ¹³ C 值的影响，试验使用去壳大麦和裸麦、面包小麦、二粒小麦、单粒小麦、斯佩尔特小麦、黑麦。和燕麦。我们发现以下关键结果：1) 虽然施肥对谷物中的 δ ¹⁵ N 值有显着影响，但影响因物种而异，并且与在轻质粘土中生长的谷物相比，在重粘土中生长的谷物的谷物中 δ ¹⁵ N 值始终较高沙土，2) 谷类物种之间的 δ ¹³ C 值显着不同，但两个实验地点之间的差异非常相似。这些从在已知条件下生长的植物中获得的发现有助于更好地了解自然条件和人类活动如何影响作物同位素数据，并且与考古作物遗骸的同位素研究相关。