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Phylloxera has been detected for the first time in the Canary Islands. Initial findings indicate that the infestation began in Tenerife when a resident planted infected vines in his garden. From there, the pest apparently spread to an abandoned vineyard in Valle de Guerra, where it was confirmed on August 1. A second suspected case was reported a few days later in La Matanza de Acentejo, also in the north of the island. Given the numerous fallow vineyards, concern is growing among winemakers and winegrowing associations that phylloxera could spread rapidly.
“We are facing one of the greatest challenges of our careers,” said Juan Jesús Méndez, president of DO Islas Canarias and owner of Bodegas Viñátigo. “Now we must act together to save these vineyards, some of which are over a hundred years old and pre-phylloxera.”
The Canary Islands are famous for their old, own-rooted vines. The region has been considered one of the few in the world that has so far been spared from phylloxera for centuries. The pest, introduced from North America, attacks the roots and leaves of Vitis vinifera and can kill vines within a few years. There are no healing or control agents. Only grafting onto phylloxera-resistant American rootstocks offers protection – a practice that has not been necessary on the islands so far.
Last week, a crisis meeting took place in Tenerife. Strategies for isolating the affected areas were decided to prevent further spread. Winemakers were called to intensively monitor their vineyards. The winemakers' association Avibo demands that suspected cases be reported immediately. In addition, clothing, shoes, and tools must be disinfected, and no more vines or leaves should be transported in harvest boxes.
The Canary Islands attract 16 to 18 million tourists annually. Many producers are therefore calling for stricter import regulations to protect the winegrowing heritage of the islands.
(ru)
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