Automated system and methods for separating and singulating plant embryos

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8931208-B2
Application number	US-201213718860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 18, 2012
Priority date	Dec 29, 2011
Publication date	Jan 13, 2015
Grant date	Jan 13, 2015

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an automated system and methods for separating and singulating plant embryos.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos comprising:
a separation module constructed and arranged to separate a plurality of plant embryos from attached embryogenic suspensor mass, and sort the plant embryos according to size;
a singulation module constructed and arranged to singulate the separated and sorted plant embryos into individual, discrete embryos, and to deposit the singulated embryos onto a porous substrate;
a drying module constructed and arranged to dry the porous substrate upon which the singulated plant embryos are disposed; and
a robotic arm, said robotic arm operable to transport the plant embryos from module to module in a predetermined sequence, wherein the robotic arm is programmable such that the robotic arm is not limited to move from module to module in the predetermined sequence, and wherein the robotic arm may move among the modules in response to one or more signals, and perform functions associated with separating and singulating plant embryos, in addition to transporting the plant embryos from module to module, thereby optimizing the transport of plant embryos through the system and maximizing the use of each module to separate and singulate plant embryos.

2. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 1 , further comprising a staging module for storing the plant embryos before the plant embryos are transported to the separation module.

3. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 1 , wherein the separation module further comprises:
one or more sieves for receiving plant embryos and attached embryogenic suspensor mass, for separating the plant embryos from the embryogenic suspensor mass, and for sorting the plant embryos according to one or more desired sizes;
a liquid spray source for forcing the embryogenic suspensor mass and plant embryos of undesired size through the sieves;
a vessel for collecting liquid from the spray source, embryogenic suspensor mass, and plant embryos of undesired size.

4. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 3 , wherein the liquid spray source comprises a spray apparatus, said spray apparatus comprising a plurality of spray nozzles, wherein the spray nozzles are configured to discharge spray patterns designed to push the plant embryos through the porous substrate and also move the embryos across the surface of the porous substrate, and wherein the spray nozzles are selected from the group consisting of nozzles that discharge a cone-shaped spray pattern, a fan-shaped spray pattern, an oval-shaped pattern, and combinations thereof.

5. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 1 , wherein the singulation module further comprises:
an embryo dispensing assembly for dispensing plant embryos in a fluid flow to a singulation mechanism;
a singulation mechanism for receiving plant embryos from the embryo dispensing assembly, and for depositing the plant embryos onto a porous substrate in discrete embryos;
an embryo deposit assembly for holding the porous substrate in place to receive plant embryos from the singulation mechanism; and
a controller programmable to control the flow of plant embryos from the embryo dispensing assembly to the singulation mechanism, and to control the deposit of plant embryos by the singulation mechanism onto the porous substrate.

6. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 5 , wherein the embryo dispensing assembly further comprises:
a vessel for holding plant embryos suspended in a fluid;
a mass balance for measuring the volume of the fluid in the vessel;
a lift mechanism for raising and lowering the vessel to maintain a desired flow rate of fluid exiting the vessel; and
a controller programmable to control the raising and lowering of the vessel by the lift mechanism, depending on the volume of the fluid in the vessel.

7. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 5 , wherein the embryo deposit assembly further comprises:
a first holding area for holding a porous substrate to receive plant embryos ejected from the singulation mechanism; and
a second holding area for (a) holding a porous substrate until it can be transferred to the first holding area; or (b) holding a porous substrate with disposed embryos, which has been transferred from the first holding area to the second holding area.

8. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 7 , further comprising a rotating mechanism for transferring a porous substrate between the first holding area and the second holding area.

9. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 7 , wherein the first holding area further comprises a vacuum source in communication with the porous substrate to remove water from the porous substrate.

10. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 5 , wherein the singulation mechanism further comprises:
a first drive that causes movement of the singulation mechanism in a first axis; and
a second drive that causes movement of the singulation mechanism in a second axis,
wherein movement of the singulation mechanism in the first and second axes results in the deposit of the plant embryos onto the porous substrate in a two-dimensional array.

11. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 5 , wherein the controller is programmable to control the number of plant embryos deposited on the porous substrate by the singulation mechanism, the spacing between the embryos on the porous substrate, and the location of embryos on the porous substrate.

12. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 1 , wherein the drying module further comprises:
a drying mechanism for removing liquid from the porous substrate upon which the plant embryos are disposed; and
a vacuum source to facilitate the removing of liquid from the porous substrate by the drying mechanism.

13. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 1 , further comprising a docking module for receiving plant embryos from the drying module, and for storing the plant embryos in containers that provide an environment suitable for further maturation of the plant embryos.

14. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 13 , wherein the docking module is configured to communicate with equipment used in processing the plant embryos after singulation and drying.

15. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 1 , further comprising one or more tools suitable to be coupled to the robotic arm through a coupling device, wherein each tool has a unique electrical signal, and wherein the coupling device further comprises multiple electrical circuits in communication with a controller of the robotic arm to identify the unique electrical signal of each tool.

16. The automated system for separating and singulating plant embryos of claim 1 , further comprising a sterile enclosure for enclosing the modules of the automated system.

17. An automated method for separating and singulation plant embryos comprising the steps of:
(a) transferring a plurality of plant embryos to a separation module constructed and arranged to separate a plurality of plant embryos from attached embryogenic suspensor mass, and sort the plant

Assignees

• Weyerhaeuser Nr Co

Inventors

• Swanda Anthony P
• Starr Robert A
• Jamruszka-Lewis Amy M

Classifications

• A01H4/005 Primary

  Methods for micropropagation; Vegetative plant propagation using cell or tissue culture techniques · CPC title

• A01C1/06 Primary

  Coating or dressing seed · CPC title