Method and system for picking up and collecting plant matter

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for picking up and collecting plant matter, in particular plant embryos. To pick up the plant matter, a pick-up unit is used that is mounted to a robotic arm. According to the invention, two separate imaging steps are performed at two different positions of the pick-up unit. The first imaging step is performed to identify an isolated piece of plant matter. The second imaging step is performed when the pick-up unit is at a confirming position and enables a verification of whether a piece of plant matter has been picked up or not. The confirming position is in between the position of the pick-up unit for picking up plant matter and the position for depositing plant matter in suitable receptacles.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to methods and systems for picking and collecting plant matter, particularly plant embryos. Background technique [0002] Plant embryo is an important tool for producing hybrid plants in modern plant breeding. To speed up the generation of the desired genetic pure lines, the use of double haploids (DH) has become a very valuable tool. In addition, DH also facilitates the assessment and monitoring of intractable traits, such as those encoded by multiple genes / alleles. [0003] The production and use of DH in breeding crops is well known for many plant species. So far, DH can be obtained from spores of male (androgenic) or female (gynogenetic) organs. [0004] Androgenesis is defined as the set of biological processes leading to ontogeny derived from male spore nuclei. Spores from male organs are called microspores and in vitro cultures are called microspore cultures. Typical microspore cultures have long been well esta...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

This manual process is very labor intensive, so there is a need to automate this picking process

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