Journal of Aquaculture Research & Development

Klaus Becker

Klaus Becker, PhD
Professor, Department of Aquaculture Systems and Animal Nutrition
University of Hohenheim, Germany

Biography

Klaus Becker has held the position of Professor and Head of the Aquaculture Systems and Animal Nutrition Department in the Tropics and Subtropics at the University of Hohenheim, Germany, since 1986. He was raised on a diversified livestock and grain farm in Central Germany. Dr. Becker earned his lower and diploma degree in Tropical Agriculture 1969 in Witzenhausen. Subsequently, he immediately joined the German Development Aid Agency and went to Salima/Malawi as a Development Aid Volunteer where he worked in a regional integrated aid project from 1969-1971. He then continued his higher studies in Agricultural Sciences at the University of Göttingen where he obtained a dual diploma degree in animal physiology and animal nutrition in 1974 and his PhD. in 1976. After a 2 year post doctoral appointment, Dr. Becker became a Research Associate in the Department of Performance Physiology. His research efforts during this time were in the area of energy metabolism of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) From 1983-1984 he was awarded the Max-Planck-Fellowship for studies in the Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Israel. In 1985, Dr. Becker achieved the rank of Full Professor and Head of the Department of Animal Nutrition in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim. He was named Director of the Institute of Animal Production in the Tropics and Subtropics in 1991 and has held this position since. His specific scientific interests were focused on basic and applied fish energetics and nutrition as well as research on the use of low quality forages and by-products feeds for ruminants. After focussing on these majors for many years he and his group turned their attention to secondary plant components in alternative feed and food resources from the tropics and subtropics. His lab group generated a multitude of refereed literature on this topic. In addition he is also conducting research on renewable energy resources in the tropics and subtropics throughout the last 10 years with an emphasis on “Jatropha”. In 2005 he founded the consulting company “JatroSolutions” where he acts as General Manager. Dr. Becker has authored or co-authored over 300 refereed research papers, 11 book chapters and more than 300 abstracts and proceeding papers. To date he has served as mentor for 36 doctoral students and 45 candidates for the Diploma/Masters degree. He is member of several professional societies and editorial boards including the German Society of Nutrition Physiology and the American Society of Animal Science. Dr. Becker has conducted research projects in over 20 developing countries in Africa, Asia, Central America as well as in Europe and supervises senior scientists in advanced laboratory techniques encompassing in vitro and in vivo studies of rumen bacteria as influenced by feed quality and secondary plant compounds.

Research Interest

Basic and applied fish energetics and nutrition
Use of low quality forages and by-products as feeds for ruminants
Secondary plant components in alternative feed and food resources from the tropics and subtropics
Renewable energy resources in the tropics and subtropics with an emphasis on Jatropha