Why Grafting and Root Stock?
Just viewed nice video on site of Nick Goldschmidt discussing root stock etc.
Why is grafting vines onto root stock necessary and/or desirable?
I recall a PBS series on wine that said that in the 19th century the French saved their wine industry from a fatal vine disease by planting American roots and grafting their vines onto them.
Is that the idea?
Andrew
Why is grafting vines onto root stock necessary and/or desirable?
I recall a PBS series on wine that said that in the 19th century the French saved their wine industry from a fatal vine disease by planting American roots and grafting their vines onto them.
Is that the idea?
Andrew
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Patrick on -
Just a quick respond... The desease is called Phyloxera... and I havn't found a decent english description yet. American Rootstock is more or less resistant against it.
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Permalink Reply by Andrew on -
Thanks for the reply! I found this in a web search for Phyloxera:
"Disaster struck the world of wine in the 1870's, when the root-eating insect Phyloxera vastatrix threatened almost every vine in Europe and the New World. They were pulled up and replaced with new V. vinifera vines grafted onto phyloxera-resistant rootstocks from the native American vine."
http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/winefull.htm
So wine growers routinely graft tasty vines on to non-tasty roots....
Andrew
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Permalink Reply by Tom on -
Today, there are lots of other reasons to use rootstocks besides insect resistance. Since the phyloxera infestations of the late 1800's science has taken biology a little farther than it would have on its own. We have rootstocks that are drought tolerant, salt tolerant, some give the vines less vigor, others more vigor. Some rootstocks are even insect specific. Root stocks provide growers with another tool to control their crop and tailor a variety to their specific site.
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