David De Koeyer, Ph.D.

Research Scientist

Potato Breeder and Geneticist. Leader of AAFC's National Potato Breeding Program with research activities at Fredericton and Lethbridge Research and Development Centres.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Fredericton, New Brunswick

Current research and/or projects

Potato breeding, genomics, quantitative genetics, and bioinformatics research to increase agricultural productivity and maximize economic returns to producers and other industry participants. Develop new potato varieties to enhance sustainability of potato production.

Research and/or project statements

Improve efficiency of potato germplasm enhancement using new breeding strategies, including marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, and diploid breeding;
Utilize bioinformatics and genomic tools to increase knowledge of genes affecting tolerance to abiotic and biotic stresses in potato;
Develop novel and improved potato germplasm to reduce the impact of economically important potato pests and diseases;
Develop elite potato clones with better attributes (storability and quality) for processing and fresh markets;
License potato varieties to industry partners.

Professional activities / interests

Collaboration with International potato breeding and genetics teams to develop improved breeding methods and germplasm;

Training of graduate students and post-docs;

Member of the Potato Association of America;

Leadership and participation in projects with AAFC and external professionals, technicians, support staff and students.

Education and awards

Ph.D. Plant Breeding, University of Minnesota, 1996

M.Sc. Plant Breeding, University of Minnesota, 1992

B.Sc.(Agr.) Crop Science, University of Guelph, 1988

International experience and/or work

2015 – 2018. AfricaYam Project Manager and Yam Breeding Scientist, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Key publications

De Koeyer, D., R. Morgan, E. Fava, K. Gardner, B. Bizimungu, and H. Tai. 2023. Genomic prediction and association analysis in the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Potato Breeding Program. p. 33. In: Northeast Potato Technology Forum 2023 Conspectus. March 21-22, Fredericton, NB
2023 - View publication details
De Koeyer, D., B. Bizimungu, M. Antoun, L. Jewell, E. Fava, and R. Morgan. 2022. The use of genetic resistance to control potato wart caused by Synchytrium endobioticum – a Canadian perspective. Canadian Society of Horticultural Science Annual Meeting, August 19-20, 2022 Halifax, NS
2022 - View publication details
Asfaw, A., Aderonmu, D.S., Darkwa, K., De Koeyer, D., Agre, P., Abe, A., Olasanmi, B., Adebola, P., Asiedu, R. (2021). Genetic parameters, prediction, and selection in a white Guinea yam early-generation breeding population using pedigree information. Crop Science, [online] 61(2), 1038-1051. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20382
2021 - View publication details
Bhattacharjee, R., Agre, P., Bauchet, G., de Koeyer, D., Lopez-Montes, A., Lava Kumar, P., Abberton, M., Adebola, P., Asfaw, A., Asiedu, R. (2020). Genotyping-by-sequencing to unlock genetic diversity and population structure in white yam (dioscorea rotundata poir.). Agronomy, [online] 10(9), http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/AGRONOMY10091437
2020 - View publication details
Chen, D., Nahar, K., Bizimungu, B., Soucy, S., Peters, R.D., De Koeyer, D., Dickison, V. (2020). A Simple and Efficient Inoculation Method for Fusarium Dry Rot Evaluations in Potatoes. American Journal of Potato Research, [online] 97(3), 265-271. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12230-020-09774-4
2020 - View publication details
Nie, X., Dickison, V., Singh, M., de Koeyer, D., Xu, H., Bai, Y., Hawkins, G. (2020). Potato tuber necrosis induced by alfalfa mosaic virus depends on potato cultivar rather than on virus strain. Plant Disease, [online] 104(2), 340-347. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-19-0827-RE
2020 - View publication details
Nie X, Dickison V, Singh M, De Koeyer D, Xu H, Bai Y, and Hawkins G. 2019. Potato tuber necrosis induced by alfalfa mosaic virus depends on potato cultivars rather than on virus strains. Plant Health 2019 – American Phytopathological Society Annual Meeting, Cleveland, OH, 3-7 August 2019. Presentation No. 401-P2.
2019 - View publication details
De Koeyer, D., M. Lagüe, V. Dickison, K. Gardner, H. Tai and L. Mueller. 2019. Building a digital ecosystem for potato breeding. 103rd Annual meeting of the Potato Association of America, Winnipeg, MB July 2019.
2019 - View publication details
Alabi, T.R., Adebola, P.O., Asfaw, A., De Koeyer, D., Lopez-Montes, A., Asiedu, R. (2019). Spatial multivariate cluster analysis for defining target population of environments in West Africa for yam breeding, 10(3), 1-30. http://dx.doi.org/10.4018/ijagr.2019070104
2019 - View publication details
De Koeyer, D., V. Dickison, K. Gardner, B. Bizimungu, D. Chen, C. Goyer, L. Kawchuk, D. Main, J. Neilson, X. Nie, A. Smith, and H. Tai. 2019. Modernization of the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Potato Breeding Program. p. 34. In: Northeast Potato Technology Forum 2019 Conspectus. March 20-21, Charlottetown, PE.
2019 - View publication details
Matsumoto, R., H. Ishikawa, S. Korie, and D. De Koeyer. 2018. Varietal differences in tuber yield and fertiliser response in a F1 mapping population of water yam (Dioscorea alata L.). p. 286. In: Tropentag 2018: Global food security and food safety: the role of universities Tielkes, E. (ed.) 1. Aufl. - Weikersheim: Margraf Publishers GmbH
2018 - View publication details
Prince Emmanuel Norman, Asrat Asfaw, Pangirayi Bernard Tongoona, Agyemang Danquah, Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, David De Koeyer, Robert Asiedu. Pollination Success in Some White Yam Genotypes Under Polycross and Nested Mating Designs. International Journal of Biological Sciences and Applications. Vol. 5, No. 2, 2018, pp. 19-28.
2018 - View publication details
Nie, X., Dickison, V.L., Brooks, S., Nie, B., Singh, M., De Koeyer, D.L., Murphy, A.M. (2018). High resolution DNA melting assays for detection of Rx1 and Rx2 for high-throughput marker-assisted selection for extreme resistance to potato virus X in tetraploid potato. Plant Disease, [online] 102(2), 382-390. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-07-17-0968-RE
2018 - View publication details
Dickison V, Bizimungu B, De Koeyer D, Douglass K, Nie X. 2017. Review: Marker–assisted selection of disease traits integration into AAFC’s Potato Breeding Program. Canadian Phytopathological Society Maritime Region Meeting 2017, 23 Nov 2017, Kentville, NS.
2017 - View publication details
Nie, X., Sutherland, D., Dickison, V.L., Singh, M., Murphy, A.M., and De Koeyer, D.L. (2016). "Development and validation of high-resolution DNA melting (HRM)-based markers derived from Rysto-STS markers YES3-3A and YES3-3B for high-throughput marker-assisted selection of potatoes carrying Rysto.", 2016 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Phytopathological Society, Moncton, NB, Canada, 12-15 June, 2016, pp. 26. (Abstract)
2016 - View publication details
Nie, X., De Koeyer, D.L., Liang, Z., Dickison, V., and Singh, M. (2016). "Identification and characterization of an Alfalfa mosaic virus isolate in potatoes exhibiting internal necrosis.", Northeast Potato Technological Forum, Fredericton, NB, Canada, March 16-17, 2016, pp. 33. (Abstract)
2016 - View publication details
Yuan, J., A.M. Murphy, D. De Koeyer, U.R. Rosyara, D. Wilson, M. Lague, and B. Bizimungu. 2016. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) of disease resistant traits in cultivated potato. 100th Annual meeting of the Potato Association of America, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA July 31-August 4, 2016. Am. J. Potato Res. 94:249.
2016 - View publication details
Nie X, De Koeyer D, Murphy A, Dickison V, and Singh M. 2016. Development of HRM markers tightly linked to extreme resistance to Potato virus Y using next-generation sequencing. The 2016 American Pathological Society Annual Meeting, 30 July - 3 August, 2016, Tampa, FL, USA. Phytopathology106:S4.156-157. http://dx.doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-106-12-S4.1
2016 - View publication details
Nie X, De Koeyer D, Liang Z, Dickison V, and Singh M. 2016. Identification and characterization of an Alfalfa mosaic virus isolate in potatoes exhibiting internal necrosis. Northeast Potato Technological Forum 2016. Fredericton, NB, 16-17 March 2016. Page: 33.
2016 - View publication details
Liu, B., Zhang, G., Murphy, A., De Koeyer, D., Tai, H., Bizimungu, B., Si, H., Li, X.Q. (2016). Differences between the bud end and stem end of potatoes in dry matter content, starch granule size, and carbohydrate metabolic gene expression at the growing and sprouting stages. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, [online] 64(5), 1176-1184. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.5b05238
2016 - View publication details