Grape Phylloxera

grape phylloxera, (Phylloxera vitifoliae), a small greenish-yellow insect (order Homoptera), highly destructive to grape plants in Europe and the western United States. Their sucking of fluid from grapevines results in formation of small galls on leaves and nodules on roots, which result in eventual rotting of the plant. The complex phylloxeran life cycle includes wingless stages that reproduce parthenogenetically. A winged stage produces sexual forms that mate; females lay eggs that survive the winter.

Grape phylloxera was introduced into Europe from the eastern United States in the mid-19th century and within 25 years had almost destroyed the grape and wine industries in France, Italy, and Germany. Vines were saved by the grafting of European plants to resistant rootstalks of vines native to the eastern United States that were immune to grape phylloxera. Hybrids and fumigants have also been used to combat this pest.