Responses of grapevine rootstocks to drought stress

Drought response of rootstocks is important for overall viticulture as a result of increase in water scarcity due to climate change and irrigation limitations in winegrowing region. Grapevines are generally well-adapted to arid and semi-arid climates, and they appear to primarily rely on drought avoidance mechanisms in water stress situations. In terms of the response of the grapevine to drought conditions, rootstock can have an impact on the gas exchange and water status. It has been shown that different rootstocks have varying capacities to extract water from the soil and transfer it to the scion. This review addressed several factors that contribute to the drought response of rootstock, including the mechanism of drought tolerance, rootstock anatomy, stomatal regulation, physical and chemical responses.   Key words: Grapevine, rootstock, stress, abscisic acid, stomata.