| Wine-growers across the globe are familiar | | | | Various researches were conducted to address |
| with the great wine plague, the Phylloxera | | | | the problem. It was discovered that aphis do |
| vastatrix, a pest that attacked the roots of | | | | not attack vines grafted on an American |
| vines during the middle of the nineteenth | | | | rootstock. The only defense against this |
| century. Phylloxeras are small, pale yellow | | | | destructive aphis is through the flooding of |
| sap-sucking insects that feed on the roots of | | | | the vineyard. These insects do not like sandy |
| the grapevines. These insects cause the | | | | soils, thus it was observed that vineyards |
| deformations of wines, as well as, cutting | | | | located in sandy areas continue with their |
| off of nutrients and water in the plant. | | | | rootstock. |
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| The Phylloxera vastatrix was first reported | | | | The use of resistant rootstock was developed |
| in southern Rhone region of France in 1863. | | | | by Charles Valentine Riley alongside J.E. |
| It is though to have originated from the | | | | Planchon with T.V. Munson. This involves the |
| North American vinestock imported to Europe. | | | | grafting of the Vitis vinifera scion into the |
| During that time, there was a 84.5 million | | | | roots of a resistant Vitis labrusca species. |
| hectoliters decline in the total wine | | | | There is a subtle difference between a wine |
| produced. The expanse of the destruction is | | | | that is grafted or ungrafted. Grapes from an |
| so great that it is estimated that around | | | | ungrafted vine produces juice, thus the wine |
| two-thirds and nine-tenths of all the | | | | produced is fuller and softer, featuring more |
| European vineyards were destroyed. | | | | variation of taste and bouquet. |
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