Norbert Becker (agroscientist)

Norbert J. Becker (9 July 1937, Wiesbaden - 7 May 2012, Freiburg im Breisgau) was a German agricultural scientist, specializing in the area of vine breeding and viticulture.
Early life.
Becker spent his youth on a vineyard near Wiesbaden in the Rheingau. While still at secondary school he helped out there and as a waiter in the vineyard‘s inn, became used to the aura of Rhineland wine culture. After his school years at the humanistic Dilthey-Gymnasium in Wiesbaden (in 1958) he completed his military service as an officer candidate. He was for two years an apprentice in practical agriculture and then studied agricultural science at the Justus-Liebig-University in Gießen, obtaining a diploma in 1964.
Becker was an assistant at the Orcharding Institute of the same university and a doctoral student at the Forschungsanstalt Geisenheim (Geisenheim Research Institute) where he obtained the degree Dr. agr. in 1968. He then started as a trainee at the State Ministry of Agriculture in Hessen.
Career.
At the beginning of 1970 he entered service with the state of Baden-Württemberg at the Federal Institute of Viticulture in Freiburg (Staatlichen Weinbauinstitut Freiburg.) His area of work involved vine cultivation (Rebenzüchtung) and viticulture. During his tenure fungus-resistant new cultivars were developed (Reben-Neuzuchten), that can be grown practically without spraying (with fungicide). The most promising of these, and also those of his predecessor Johannes Zimmermann were tested in the institute‘s cultures, in vinyards (Winzerbetrieben) and then developed to the stage when they could be used in practice. Among these are the following vine types: Johanniter, Bronner, Solaris, Helios and the red wine types Prior, Baron, Monarch, Cabernet Cortis, and Cabernet Carbon.
Becker taught viticulture students and master vintagers. In his spare time he led Saturday viticulture excursions in the frame of the "general studies“ programme of the University of Freiburg. In retirement he followed his work-oriented hobby – the cultural, historical and health aspects of wine.