Role of grapevine rootstocks in mitigating environmental stresses : a review

Viticulture is one of the most important crop industries in the world and its cultivation is on the upward trend globally. Global water and soil resources continued to decline sharply and rampant extreme weather conditions are becoming a serious threat to sustainable agriculture and food security. Further, the changes in climatic conditions are increasingly becoming favorable for rearing certain harmful biotic organisms, which are hostile to sustained grape cul- tivation. The environmental changes have shown a projected negative impact on viticulture by increased biotic and abiotic stresses. Range of strategies can be employed to mitigate such scenarios, however, integration of rootstocks to combat such challenges is a sustainable nature. Grape rootstocks have exhibited their role in mitigating the problems raised due to a variety of environmental stresses. For example, certain Vitis species are used as rootstock against phyl- loxera and other harmful pests of grapes. Similarly, there are certain rootstocks developed which have their tolerance against salinity, drought, cold, and iron chlorosis. With ever-changing environmental conditions, it is not essential that one rootstock perfors better at a specific place may perform well in another place. This article reviewed several grape rootstocks which have their specific resistance or tolerance features against a variety of stresses, including pests, dis- ease, salinity, and drought. Consistent endeavors in grapevine rootstock improvement and utilization are critical for the sustainability of the grape industry, in particular during the ever-increasing environmental stresses.