Term for the method used from the last third of the 19th century to control phylloxera by injecting liquid carbon disulphide into the soil using large syringes. The colourless, foul-smelling liquid is obtained by passing sulphur vapours over glowing charcoal. The process had already been successful with the cereal weevil and was first trialled against phylloxera in Bordeaux by the Burgundian chemist Baron Paul Thénard (1819-1884) in 1869.

In the first trials, the product was applied far too excessively, killing not only the aphids but also all other living organisms in the vineyard. The poisonous vapours also meant that the product was not without danger and was highly flammable. This method was subsequently practised throughout Europe. In Austria, the viticulture expert Franz Kober (1864-1943) made a name for himself in this respect.
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Dr. Christa Hanten
Fachjournalistin, Lektorin und Verkosterin, Wien