Phylloxera Detected for First Time in Canary Islands.
Phylloxera Detected for First Time in Canary Islands, Threatening Centuries-Old Wine Heritage
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 13 August 2025 — The Canary Islands are facing an unprecedented viticultural crisis after the destructive vine pest phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae) was confirmed on Tenerife for the first time. The outbreak has been detected in two northern locations—Valle de Guerra and La Matanza de Acentejo—ending the region’s long-held status as one of the few winegrowing areas in the world untouched by the pest.
The detection has raised serious concerns among producers, as centuries-old vineyards, most planted on their own roots, form the backbone of the islands’ wine culture and economy.
A Pest With No Cure
Phylloxera, native to eastern North America, feeds on vine roots and leaves, fatally wounding Vitis vinifera plants. There is no chemical treatment or eradication method; the only viable defence is to graft European grape varieties onto resistant American rootstocks—a practice that the Canaries have historically avoided in order to preserve their unique heritage of ungrafted vines.
Investigations suggest the pest may have been introduced through the planting of infected vines in a private garden, from which it is believed to have spread to an abandoned vineyard in Valle de Guerra. Its presence there was confirmed on 1 August, with a second suspected case reported in La Matanza de Acentejo shortly after.
Emergency Measures
An urgent meeting on 8 August brought together winegrowers from across the archipelago to coordinate containment efforts. The Association of Winegrowers and Winemakers of the Canary Islands (AVIBO) has issued strict guidelines, including isolating and destroying affected vines, disinfecting boots, clothing, and tools before moving between vineyards, avoiding the transport of leaves in harvest bins, and intensifying monitoring during the harvest period.
The Government of the Canary Islands and the Tenerife Island Council have activated a joint containment protocol. Measures include surveillance perimeters around affected areas, distribution of technical guides to help identify symptoms, and public information campaigns aimed at growers and vineyard workers.
Economic and Cultural Stakes
Tenerife’s 3,200 hectares of vineyards produce over 70% of the archipelago’s wine and support nearly 100 wineries across six Protected Designations of Origin. The pest threatens both economic livelihoods and the island’s biodiversity. Wine tourism, which attracts millions of visitors each year, is also at risk if vineyard losses become significant.
Experts view the outbreak as a turning point for the industry, underlining the need for stricter biosecurity measures to prevent the introduction of invasive species.
A Race Against Time
With phylloxera now confirmed in Tenerife, swift and coordinated action is considered critical to limiting its spread. The outcome will determine whether the Canary Islands can preserve a 500-year-old wine tradition that has, until now, remained untouched by one of viticulture’s most destructive pests.
