Phylloxera

Dangerous grape vine pest, which was imported to Europe around 1860 with imported rooted vines from North America. Within two centuries, it almost completely destroyed the European vineyads. Phylloxera sucks the roots of the vines and causes them to die. In order to protect the vineyards from this pest, until today, all European vines are placed on American rootstocks, as only those are resistant to Phylloxera.