The present invention relates to a device and method for sowing seeds. The invention relates more particularly to a device and method for sowing seeds as part of a plant breeding process. The system according to the invention comprises a separating device for separating a single seed relative to a remainder of the plurality of seeds, an optical recognition system for recognizing the separated seed, a robot arm device for picking up the separated seed and for sowing the picked-up seed, and a control unit for controlling the separating device, the optical recognition system and the robot arm device. With this system it is possible to sow seeds in a more accurate and less error-prone manner.

Disclosed herein is a system for growing and harvesting living matter. The system includes trays. The system also includes a racking portion, including at least one rack having shelves vertically spaced apart from each other and a robot selectively operable to deliver the trays to and retrieve the trays from the shelves. The system further includes a processing portion, including a harvester configured to receive the trays from the shelves and to remove living matter from the trays, and a seeder configured to receive the trays from the harvester and to distribute seed to the trays. The system additionally includes an electronic controller operable to autonomously control operation of the robot to deliver the trays, after seeded by the seeder, to the shelves and to retrieve the trays, when the seed has grown into the living matter, from the shelves.

A system includes a hollow shaft, a drum, an absolute encoder, a driving mechanism, a conveyor belt, a photoelectric sensor, and a controller. A structural optimization design method of the drum is provided on the basis of theoretical calculation of a seeding track of the drum-type seed-metering device, a theoretical model of a conveying position of a tray and a seed-metering angle is built with the aim of continuously sowing grains to the center of each hole, the conveying position of the tray and a rotating position of suction holes on the drum are monitored in real time on a seedling raising line, and a difference value between the actual position of the suction holes and the theoretical seed-metering angle and a change rate of the difference value are calculated and serve as input parameters to design a fuzzy controller of the rotation speed of the drum.

A seeding device is provided. That seeding device includes a seeding paddle having a plurality of seed holders and a seed tray having a channel. The channel receives the seeding paddle so that seeds in the seed tray are easily directed into the plurality of seed holders. The paddle may then be removed from the seeding tray for planting seeds in a desired quantity at the desired spaced locations.

The present invention may relate to Aeroponic Systems and their individual elements. More particularly to automated systems capable of monitoring and adjusting some if not all of the light, nutrient, water quality and environmental factors required for the propagation and sustained growth of all types of plants. It may also describe methods to support the plants during propagation from seeds and for growth and harvesting. It may describe various methodologies for reducing space requirements and for increasing plant density without detriment to the growth cycles.

A cutting holding unit for planting cuttings in a cultivation medium comprising a cutting clamp comprising two opposing members for clamping a portion of a cutting at a clamping position; and a holding device comprising two opposing members arranged to hold the cutting at a position closer to a cutting end that is to be put into the cultivation medium than the clamping position.

A seed sowing system for depositing seeds in a germination tray is disclosed. The seed sowing system may include a rotatable drum having a plurality of rows of apertures configured to pick up, carry, and release the seeds so that they fall into respective depressions in the germination tray. A light source may be provided to illuminate the row of seeds as each row passes through an illumination region while being carried on the rotatable drum. A detector may be positioned to capture light reflected from the rows of seeds as each row passes through the illumination region. Output signals from the detector may be analyzed to determine an improper quantity of seeds at predetermined locations on the rotatable drum. Based on this analysis, an alert and/or report may be provided to the operator so that he or she can adjust and/or repair the seed sowing system.

There is provided a plant-transplanting device that, with a simple structure and at a low cost, realizes speedy and stable transplantation, prevents damage to a plant, and is easily automated. A plant-transplanting device 100 that transplants a seedbed B from a plant holder 110 to a cultivation pallet 120 includes a holder retaining mechanism 130, a pallet retaining mechanism 140 for retaining the cultivation pallet 120 below a holder retaining position of the holder retaining mechanism 130, and a lowering mechanism 150 for lowering the seedbed B retained by a holder seedbed retaining part 111 downward and inserting the seedbed B into a pallet seedbed retaining part 121.

A method and an assembly of a pre-shaped substrate plug and a container for planting out plant material, of which the plug includes one or more press sections sideways of an upwardly opening plant insertion recess. The outer wall dimensions of the press sections are larger than inner wall dimensions of corresponding parts of the container, such that during a step of placing the plug in an insertion position into the container, a pressing of the plug into the container needs to be performed for the press sections to be able to fit into the corresponding parts of the container while the press sections compress inwardly in a sideways direction and at least partly decrease the plant insertion recess around a seed or lower plant part which had been placed therein preceding the pressing.

A grafted seedling producing apparatus 1 includes a seeding apparatus 2, a seedling raising apparatus 3 having a carriage 6 and a chamber 7, a grafting apparatus 4, and a plurality of nursery apparatuses 5. The seeding apparatus 2 creates seed-containing cultivation mediums each made up of a cultivated plant seed and a soil contained in a pot, arranges the mediums on a tray, and loads the tray into the carriage 6. The carriage 6 is housed in the chamber 7. The seedling raising apparatus 3 germinates the seeds and grows seedlings generated by the germination while applying light from LEDs. Since a worker does not have to enter the chamber 7, the seedling raising apparatus 3 becomes compact. The grafting apparatus 4 grafts a stock and a scion created by the seedling raising apparatus 3 to form a grafted seedling. The nursery apparatus 5 nurses the grafted seedling.