Crop breeding has increased the productivity and leaf wax n-alkane concentration in a series of five winter wheat cultivars developed over the last 60 years

Plant wax n-alkanes are a major constituent of the leaf and grain surface. In this study, we explored what can be learned from the abundance and carbon isotopic composition (δ13C) of n-alkanes in historical winter wheat cultivars. We investigated leaf and grain wax n-alkane concentration (ΣalkLand ΣalkG) and carbon isotopes (δ13CalkL and δ13CalkG) on C29 as well as bulk leaf and grain carbon isotopes (δ13CbulkL and δ13CbulkG) to assess if these...