A Multi-Isotope Approach (δ²H, δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) for Discriminating Raspberry Production Systems and Assessing...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Environmental Science
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Sustainable food systems require analytical methods to integrate environmental and management data.
• Stable isotope analysis is a powerful tool for understanding agroecosystem functioning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a multi-isotope framework (δ²H, δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) for discriminating between organic and agroforestry raspberry production systems.
• To identify chemically grounded indicators of agroecosystem functioning.

Main Methods:

• Stable isotope ratio analysis of raspberry fruits (Rubus idaeus L.) from organic and agroforestry systems in Romania.
• Application of a multi-isotope framework including δ²H, δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, and δ¹⁵N.
• Multivariate statistical analysis to differentiate production systems.

Main Results:

• Significant system-dependent isotopic patterns were observed, with δ¹⁵N showing the strongest discrimination.
• Organic raspberries exhibited enriched δ¹⁵N values, while agroforestry raspberries showed depleted values.
• δ²H, δ¹⁸O, and δ¹³C isotopes provided insights into hydroclimatic variability and water-use conditions.

Conclusions:

• Raspberry fruits retain an integrated isotopic fingerprint reflecting production environment and management practices.
• The multi-isotope approach is a transferable analytical tool for food authentication, traceability, and sustainability assessment.
• Stable isotope techniques are valuable for complex biological and agroecosystem studies.