Rootstocks: how the dark side of the vine can enlight the future?

Introduction

Global challenges, including adaptation to climate change, decrease of the environmental impacts and maintenance of the economical sustainability shape the future of viticulture. These issues are highly complex and there is no chance that a simple and single solution can solve all of them. From the vineyard perspective, there is an urgent need to analyze cropping systems as a whole and to seek for combined levers which can result in more resilient growing conditions. Doing that, the belowground parts of the vines and the interactions between the soil compartment and the aerial parts require a special focus, as they can be central to develop more agroecological and climate smart practices. 

Globally the soil functioning relies on its chemical composition, physical structure and conditions (temperature, water and oxygen content) in interactions with the organic matter content and biological activity. Climate change is not only affecting atmospheric conditions, but also the soil compartment with increases in temperature which could be much higher than for air temperature (Schultz, 2025). Whereas the increase in CO₂ concentration, temperature and the modifications of rainfall regimes have a direct impact on soil as a resource, their effects on the biological component are probably also huge. In addition, climate changer endangers the availability of arable land through enhanced erosion and salinization. The consequences on water supply, mineral nutrition and health of grapevines are an important matter of concern, as they are key factors of wine quality. Despite its importance the underground compartment of vineyards is most of the time neglected due to its complexity and to the difficulties to access (Follain et al., 2025; Schultz, 2025). According to the 4 for 1000 initiative, healthy soils, rich in carbon, are also considered as the basement to mitigate climate change and support agricultural production, which underlines the role of soil to a central component of our future (OIV, 2022).

In most vineyards worldwide, rootstocks represent the major biological link between the soil and the aerial parts of the vines, and their functioning results in transferring the soil properties into wines. Despite the fact they are a key factor of terroir, they have largely been neglected in terms of scientific studies and levers of the viticultural system. Difficulties to access to the hidden part of the plant may explain this lack of knowledge (Bernardo et al., 2025). Their potential contribution to tackle current and future challenges of viticulture and new technologies have changed the game. From genomics to modelling studies, through physiology, genetics and microbiology, interests in rootstocks have increased exponentially over the past 20 years. We consider that this new knowledge can be highly valuable to develop environment friendly and sustainable solutions for the future.

In this context, this communication will give an overview of the most recent findings regarding rootstocks properties.  Data regarding the genetic determinism of biotic and abiotic stress resistance/tolerance, root system development characterization and modelling, physiological responses to abiotic stresses, interactions with soil microorganisms on one side and with scions on the other side will be presented.