Rootstock Andros

The 'Andros' grape rootstock – a result of hybridization between German varieties (Vitis riparia × Vitis cinerea) and Vitis amurensis, developed by scientists of the Y.I. Potapenko Federal Research Institute of Grape Breeding and Viniculture (VNIIViV) under the leadership of I.N. Shyan, M.I. Brezhnev, and S.I. Agapov. This variety is distinguished by its high winter hardiness: at temperatures of –27 °C, bud mortality is 12–15 %, and frost resistance reaches –30 °C, making it suitable for the northernmost viticulture zones.

The leaves are of medium size, dark green, almost square, and weakly lobed. They are hairless, wrinkled on the surface, have long sharp teeth, and the upper part of the leaf is slightly pubescent. The petiolar sinus is widely open in the form of an inward angle, which contributes to good fruit development. The flowers are of male type, the bushes are vigorous, and young shoots are of medium thickness with a rounded shape and moderate internodes.

'Andros' demonstrates resistance to fungal diseases (1–2 points), root phylloxera (1.5–2 points), and leaf phylloxera (3 points). Chlorosis resistance is higher than that of the control variety RR 101-14. The varieties graft well with scion varieties both in green and bench grafting, and also adapt to calcareous soils. The vegetative period is relatively short, but good cane ripening is achieved (82–85 %).