Automated high-throughput seed sampler and methods of sampling, testing and bulking seeds

US8245439B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Monsanto Technology LLC · US

Inventors

• Kevin L. Deppermann · Chesterfield, US
• Lee Yannakakis · Chesterfield, US
• Andrew M. Singleton · Manchester, US
• Angela Ranae Koestel · Chesterfield, US
• David W. Finley · Kirkwood, US
• Brian J. Forinash · Chesterfield, US
• Allen N. Ondes · Chesterfield, US
• Sam Eathington · Ames, US
• Heather M. Forbes · Ankeny, US
• Bruce Schnicker · Wildwood, US
• Jason Bull · Chesterfield, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 3, 2011
• Grant date: Aug 21, 2012
• Expiry date: Oct 3, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2015/1497
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A seed sampling system includes a seed transport configured to hold multiple individual seeds together as a group and transport the multiple individual seeds together as the group, and to allow the multiple individual seeds to be oriented, substantially simultaneously, while the multiple individual seeds are being held in the seed transport. The seed sampling system also includes a seed sampling subsystem configured to remove tissue from the oriented multiple individual seeds. And, a method for removing tissue from the multiple individual seeds includes loading the multiple individual seeds in the seed transport, orienting the multiple individual seeds in the seed transport substantially simultaneously, and removing tissue from the oriented multiple individual seeds.