Dr Helmut Becker (1927-1990) studied natural sciences at the University of Mainz and completed his doctorate on the biology of phylloxera. From 1952 to 1953, he was a research assistant at the State Viticulture Institute in Freiburg. As successor to Dr Heinrich Birk (1998-1973), he headed the Institute for Vine Breeding and Vine Refinement from 1964 to 1989 and the Department of Viticulture and Beverage Technology at the Geisenheim Research Institute in Rheingau from 1971 to 1975. Becker was particularly dedicated to the breeding of noble grape varieties, clone breeding and securing the supply of planting material by introducing sanitary measures and creating legal regulations. His new varieties include Bolero, Dakapo, Ehrenbreitsteiner, Primera, Prinzipal, Reichensteiner, Rondo and Saphira. He also used Asian varieties, especially the species Vitis amurensis due to its resistance to frost. An important breeding goal was resistance (ability to resist) to powdery and downy mildew and botrytis.
He was also extremely successful in the breeding of rootstock vines, aiming for complete resistance to phylloxera. Based on the wild vine Vitis cinerea discovered by the breeder Dr Carl Börner (1880-1953), he created the rootstock named after this discoverer - the first with complete resistance to phylloxera, i.e. to tuberosity and nodosity. His studies on grafting led to important improvements and new techniques in propagation. It is also worth mentioning that he re-selected and revitalised the historically important and almost extinct Orléans variety. Becker worked at several universities, collaborated with scientists from all over the world and took part in numerous conferences. Studies and lecture tours took him all over the world, and he also spent several months as a visiting scientist in Australia and New Zealand. In 1982 he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit and in 1986 he was appointed Honorary Professor. See also under winegrowing personalities.
