WO2021219150A1

WO2021219150A1 - Device and method for automatic preparation of seed samples, in particular for plant phenotyping

Info

Publication number: WO2021219150A1
Application number: PCT/CZ2020/050026
Authority: WO
Inventors: Pavel Mazura; Pavel KLIMES; Lukas Spichal
Original assignee: Univerzita Palackeho V Olomouci
Priority date: 2020-04-28
Filing date: 2020-04-28
Publication date: 2021-11-04

Abstract

The present invention provides a device for automated preparation of seed samples, in particular samples for plant phenotyping, said device comprising a movable robotic arm (120) with a vacuum gripper (121) equipped with a hollow needle (122) configured to grip a seed by means of vacuum suction, a holder (111) for at least one plant cultivation vessel, a holder for at least one seed container, and a system for detecting the gripping of a seed.

Description

Device and method for automatic preparation of seed samples, in particular for plant phenotyping

Field of Art

The present invention relates to the field of indoor plant cultivation systems, more specifically to device and method for automatic preparation of seed samples. The seed samples are particularly suitable for plant phenotyping

Background Art

Plant phenotyping is a method for screening large collections of plants. These plants are tested in various cultivation conditions, such as abiotic and biotic stresses, including drought stress, salinity stress or pests interactions. A common method for plant non-in vasive analysis in phenotyping is image analysis using different kinds of cameras to capture plants growth and development. High throughput procedures in plant phenotyping are focused on small plants and seedlings to rapidly characterize interactions with large chemical libraries of potential new agrochemicals.

Small plants and seedlings samples for phenotyping are cultivated in standard laboratory plant cultivation vessels such as petri dishes or microtiter plates. These samples are usually prepared by pipetting cultivation media and tested chemicals into the vessels and manually transferring seeds of the tested plants. This procedure is laborious, slow, and manual handling increases the risk of contamination of the samples. The overall performance of a phenotyping system is often limited not by the screening procedure itself, but by the sample-preparation procedure. Automation of phenotyping samples preparation is much needed, but no practically usable device was developed so far.

Currently available devices for seed manipulation are various mechanical or vacuum seeders. These devices are utilized in agriculture for transferring seeds from bulk package into pots trays or directly into soil. These devices are however destined for manipulation with large amounts of seeds which should be distributed homogeneously over a pre -defined area, but do not have to be handled separately and individually. Examples of vacuum seeders are disc and drum vacuum planters. The requirements for the accuracy of handling and individual handling are much lower in seeders than in seed manipulators for preparation of samples for plant phenotyping.

The present invention aims at producing device for preparing seed samples for plant phenotyping, wherein the device can handle the seeds individually, with high accuracy, and in sterile conditions if desired. The device shall also be adaptable to any shape or size of seeds, and shall have a high reliability. Disclosure of the Invention

The present invention provides a device for automated preparation of seed samples, in particular for plant phenotyping procedures.

The device comprises a movable robotic arm with a vacuum gripper equipped with a hollow needle configured to grip a seed by means of vacuum suction, a holder for at least one plant cultivation vessel, a holder for at least one seed container, and a system for detecting the gripping of a seed.

The vacuum gripper is typically equipped with a source of vacuum and configured so that the hollow needle grips and holds a seed by vacuum suction.

Robotic arms are known and commercially available. Their advantage is that their movements may be precise and very precisely controlled.

The robotic arm should be movable in at least two linear axes and rotatable around at least one rotational axis. More preferably, the robotic arm is movable in three linear axes and rotatable around two or three rotational axes. The linear axes are perpendicular to each other (xyz system), and the rotational axes are also perpendicular to each other.

The robotic arm movement may be controlled by a processing unit and by a driving unit. The driving unit may be, for example, an electromotor. The movement may be, for example, continuous motion or step motion.

The hollow needle is a hollow tube having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, wherein the inner diameter is smaller than the diameter of the seeds to be manipulated. For example, the inner diameter of the hollow needle may be between 0.05 mm and 5 mm, preferably between 0.1 mm and 2 mm. The ends of the needle are configured so that one end can be connected to the source of vacuum, and the other end can engage with a seed so that the seed is attached by vacuum suction to the needle end. The end of the needle for engagement with a seed is called herein “open end”. When vacuum is applied, a single seed is gripped by the hollow needle by means of vacuum suction, i.e., the seed is sucked by vacuum. This principle minimizes the probability of gripping multiple seeds at once and ensures that only one seed is gripped in each seed manipulation step.

The hollow needle may be mounted removably, so that the needle can be changed, and thus the needle diameter may be adapted to the size and type of seed which is manipulated.

In some embodiments, the device may be supplied with a set of needles, each of which can be removably mounted to the device. The suitable size of the needle depends on the size of the seeds to be manipulated. Preferred are needles made of steel (such as Birmingham gauge -type dosing needles), preferably with plastic or teflon coating. In particular, needles having the inner diameters 0.1 mm, 0.15 mm, 0.18 mm, 0.26 mm, 0.33 mm, 0.84 mm were tested for various types of seeds. For example, for the seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana, 0.15 mm was the most appropriate needle inner diameter, while for the seeds of Amaranthus, 0.33 mm was the most appropriate needle inner diameter.

The term “vacuum” means a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure. In particular, the pressure applied should be up to 70 kPa, more preferably up to 50 kPa. The source of vacuum may be, for example, a vacuum pump (such as an oil pump, a water pump, a diaphragm pump, a displacement pump) or a central vacuum source. The vacuum pump may be integrated in the vacuum gripper, or may be separate and connected with the vacuum gripper.

The term “plant cultivation vessel” refers to any vessel that can be used for cultivation of plants (including seedlings) from seeds, preferably under controlled conditions. The plant cultivation vessel may be, in particular, a petri dish, a microtitre plate, a multiwell plate.

The holder for at least one plant cultivation vessel, the holder for at least one seed container, and the system for detecting the gripping of a seed are arranged so that each of them can be reached by the robotic arm, more particularly by the hollow needle in the vacuum gripper of the robot arm.

The holder for plant cultivation vessel(s) may be stationary or movable. When it is movable, it may be movable along at least one linear axis. The movability of the holder for plant cultivation vessel(s) - and thereby the movability of the plant cultivation vessel(s) - may compensate for a limited movability of the vacuum gripper and/or of liquid dispensing device, or may increase the effectiveness of the device such as the throughput rate.

The holder may be configured to hold one or more plant cultivation vessel(s). The components of the holder into which the individual cultivation vessels may be inserted are called “positions”. The holder may also feature one or more positions for plant cultivation vessel(s) with controlled conditions, such as controlled temperature (heating position or chilling position).

The holder for plant cultivation vessel(s) may further include a liquid dispensing device. The liquid dispensing device is configured to inject a pre -determined amount of a liquid into the plant cultivation vessel(s). The liquid may be, for example, cultivation medium, a gel-forming liquid, an additive, a tested (agro)chemical.

The liquid dispensing device may contain one or more dispensing units, which may be, for example, in the form of tubes, nozzles or pipette tips. The individual dispensing units may be configured to dispense the same liquid or different liquids. The liquid dispensing device may further contain one or more liquid reservoirs connected with the corresponding dispensing units.

The liquid dispensing device is preferably movable. Alternatively, the holder for plant cultivation vessel(s) is movable vis-a-vis the liquid dispensing device. A movable liquid dispensing device moves in at least one axis which is parallel to the position of the plant cultivation vessel(s) when inserted in the holder. Preferably, the movable liquid dispensing device moves in two axes which are perpendicular to each other and parallel to the position of the plant cultivation vessel(s) when inserted in the holder. Even more preferably, the movable liquid dispensing device moves in three axes which are perpendicular to each other. In some embodiments, the dispensing unit(s) may be mounted on a robotic arm - the same robotic arm as the vacuum gripper, or a different robotic arm.

The seed containers are receptacles suitable for containing stock of seeds. The seeds available in the seed containers are gripped by the vacuum gripper. It is convenient when the seed containers are located close to the system for detecting the gripping of a seed and/or close to the holder for plant cultivation vessel(s). For example, the seed containers may be located in the holder for plant cultivation vessel(s) (e.g., in one position of the holder).

In some embodiments, the holder for at least one plant cultivation vessel and the holder for at least one seed container may be formed integrally, as one holder with at least one position suitable for insertion of plant cultivation vessel(s) and with at least one position suitable for insertion of seed container(s), and optionally at least one position suitable for insertion of consumables.

The holder for at least one plant cultivation vessel and/or the holder for at least one seed container may further contain positions for storing other consumables such as test tubes, pipette tips, containers with liquids to be distributed by the liquid dispensing unit.

In some embodiments, an object-manipulating gripper may be provided as a component of the device of the invention. The object-manipulating gripper is configured to manipulate objects, such as seed containers or plant cultivation vessels, or other material (e.g. stock vessels with the liquids to be dispensed). This may allow easy re-arrangement of the containers and/or vessels, and even stacking of material, thus resulting in a more effective use of the available space.

The object-manipulating gripper may also be configured to open and close covers of the containers and/or vessels.

The object-manipulating gripper may be mounted on a separate robotic arm, or on the same robotic arm as the vacuum gripper and/or the liquid dispensing device.

The system for detecting the gripping of a seed contains a chamber with an opening for inserting the hollow needle of the vacuum gripper with a gripped seed, a camera, a source of light, and an image- processing system.

The chamber is preferably substantially pyramidal in shape wherein the camera is located in the apex. The inventors have tested a number of possible geometries of the chamber, including a spherical chamber, and the pyramidal chamber gave most reliable results. Other geometries were usable, but less preferred, as due to reflections and other optical effects the reliability is somewhat lower. The shape of the chamber should preferably follow the angle of view of the camera.

The opening for inserting the hollow needle with the gripped seed is made in one of the walls of the chamber, typically in the upper wall of the chamber.

The detector is a camera. Cameras shoot images which carry more information than simple detection by, e.g., a photodetector or other means. The analysis of the images shot by the camera allows to assess a number of non-standard situations, such as clogged hollow needle (and the resulting impossibility to grip a seed), several seeds gripped/sucked at once, another object (such as impurity present in the seeds) is sucked. Some of these situations would register in systems using a simple photodetector as proper gripping of a seed which would be incorrect and even detrimental for the plant phenotyping assays. On the contrary, the system in the device of the invention must ensure that only one seed is gripped and transferred to the pre -determined location in the plant cultivation vessel.

The image -processing system typically involves at least one processor which is configured to obtain the images from the camera and to process the images by calculating the color (hue) and saturation for each pixel, filtering out the pixels corresponding to the seed and assessing the position and shape of the seed image. The image -processing system or its part may be integrated in the camera or may be separate.

The source of light should be a source giving a standardized, steady and homogeneous light. Some cameras are less sensitive to the homogeneity of light, while others are more sensitive. A preferred option is a source of dispersed light, such as a light source (e.g., an LED) provided in the vicinity of the chamber while the walls of the chamber are made of a light-dispersing material (e.g., white polylactic acid (PLA), preferably 3D printed into the shape of the light source chamber). It is preferred when at least two identical light sources are arranged in regular distances around the chamber, this provides stable illumination of the end of the hollow needle.

Based on the information from the system for detecting the gripping of the seeds, the device (or its control unit) may decide on a further course of action. If the information from the system for detecting the gripping of the seeds is positive, i.e., exactly one seed is gripped, the vacuum gripper is moved (by the robotic arm) to the relevant plant cultivation vessel and the seed is dropped into the vessel. Successful dropping of the seed may again be checked by means of the system for detecting the gripping of the seeds (this time, as absence of a seed).

If the information from the system for detecting the gripping of the seeds is negative, i.e., no seed was gripped, multiple seeds were gripped, an impurity was gripped, hollow needle is clogged, etc., the device will take an appropriate action, e.g., repeats the gripping step, drops the seeds back into the seed container and repeats the gripping step, or needle-cleaning steps are undertaken. It is convenient when the system for detecting the gripping of a seed is located close to the holder for plant cultivation vessel(s) or in the holder for plant cultivation vessel(s) (e.g., in one position of the holder). This decreases the risk of the seed falling from the gripper during manipulation because the manipulation time and path are shorter.

The device may in some embodiments contain a calibration point for calibrating the positioning of the vacuum gripper. The calibration point may have the form or a calibration cross at a pre-determined location in the device. In regular time intervals or in the beginning of the seed manipulation session, the vacuum gripper, in particular its hollow needle open end, calibrates its position to the calibration point. This allows fully automatic control of movements of the vacuum gripper.

The device or its individual parts are typically controlled by at least one processing unit. The processing units typically have an interface for communication with the user and/or for receiving instructions from the user. The processing unit may be in the form of a computer. The processing unit(s) may have a memory with pre-programmed procedures and seem manipulation sessions which can optionally be selected by the user if desired.

Movable parts of the device are driven by driving units, such as electric motors. The motions of the movable parts may be continued motions or step motions.

In a preferred embodiment, at least the robotic arm with the vacuum gripper, the holder for at least one plant cultivation vessel (including the optional liquid dispensing system), and the system for detecting the gripping of a seed are enclosed in a protective hood.

The protective (sterile) hood ensures protection against contamination by chemicals and germs such as bacteria, fungi, viruses. The protective hood typically contains an air inlet with an air sterilization system, usually containing filters such as HEPA filters; an air outlet; and optionally an internal sterilization system such as germicide lamp(s) (e.g., UV lamps), internal air filtration system, or systems for adding germicidal substances into the inlet air.

The present invention further provides the device as described herein above, for use in preparation of seed samples for plant phenotyping.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a method of preparation of seed samples for plant phenotyping, wherein the said method uses the device as described herein above and comprises the following steps: a) providing seeds in at least one seed container and providing at least one plant cultivation vessel; b) causing the movement of the vacuum gripper so that the open end of the hollow needle approaches the seeds in the seed container; c) switching on the vacuum, thus gripping one seed from the seed container by the open end of the hollow needle of the vacuum gripper; d) causing the movement of the vacuum gripper so that the open end of the hollow needle with the gripped seed moves into the field of vision of the camera of the system for detecting the gripping of a seed, and detecting that one seed is attached to the open end of the said hollow needle; e) if the result of the detection in step d) is negative (no seed is attached or several seeds are attached), steps b) and c) are repeated; f) if the result of the detection in step d) is positive (one seed is attached), causing the movement of the vacuum gripper so that the open end of the hollow needle with the gripped seed moves above a pre determined location of a plant cultivation vessel and switching off the vacuum/reverse the air preasure, thus causing the seed to fall to the said pre -determined location.

If a liquid dispensing device is present in the device of the present invention, then the method may additionally contain a step of dispensing at least one liquid into the plant cultivation vessel. This step may occur at any time prior to step f), simultaneously with step f), or subsequently to step f).

If the device of the invention contains a protective hood, prior to the sequence of steps a) to f), the internal space of the protective hood is sterilized and the air filtration is switched on.

After the repeated sequence of steps a) to f), and the thus achieved filling of the plant cultivation vessels, the plant cultivation vessels can be taken from the device and the steps of plant phenotyping can be carried out, the steps including cultivating the seeds to form seedlings or plants, and determining the characteristics of the resulting seedlings or plants.

Brief description of Drawings

Figure 1 represents schematic axonometric view of an example of the device for automatic preparation of samples for plant phenotyping.

Figure 2 represents a schematic axonometric view of a system for detecting the gripping of a seed.

Figure 3 represents a schematic axonometric close-up view of chamber and camera of the system for detecting the gripping of a seed.

Figure 4 schematically summarizes a scheme of the control unit and the control of individual parts of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a schematic workflow of functioning of the device shown in Figures 1-3. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

An exemplary embodiment of the device of the present invention is described with reference to the figures.

The device shown in Figure 1 comprises a movable robotic arm 120 with a vacuum gripper 121 equipped with a hollow needle 122 configured to grip a seed by means of vacuum suction, a holder 111 for at least one plant cultivation vessel and for at least one seed container, a system for detecting the gripping of a seed, a liquid dispensing device 110, and a control unit. The device is placed in a protective hood 140.

The liquid-dispensing device 110 contains three electric belt driven linear actuators. The actuators are responsible for movement of pipetting head in xyz cartesian coordinate system. The pipetting head is equipped with up to two eight (Fig. 1 specifically shows four) channel automatic motorized pipets for volumes in range of 0,5 pL - 1 ml.

The holder 111 has positions (not shown in detail) capable of fixing objects having dimensions corresponding to a standard microtiter plates (MTP) format. The positions are used for placing plant cultivation vessel(s), test tubes with chemicals, pipette tips, seed containers, position for plant cultivation vessel(s) with controlled conditions (heating or chilling position), and position for accommodating the system for detecting the gripping of a seed (this system is described in more detail below, with reference to Fig. 2 and 3).

In a specific tested embodiment, the automatic robotic arm 120 had six axes of joint rotation and the following parameters: reach: 670 mm to 920 mm, maximum payload: 5 kg to 9 kg, repeatability: ± 0.02 mm to ± 0.03 mm.

On the flange of the automatic robotic arm 120 is mounted an electric vacuum gripper 121 with an integrated vacuum pump (in the specific tested case, the pump had a pressure output of -50 kPa), controlled by electric servomotor. The vacuum gripper is equipped with a steel hollow needle 122 with teflon coating, destined for gripping individual seeds (inside diameter is 0,15 mm for Arabidopsis seeds and 0,33 mm for Amaranth seeds).

The control unit contains one computer to integrate functionality of the whole system (master computer 131). The master computer 131 provides interface for manual calibration of movable parts, and testing and executing automatic sequences for experimental setups. The master computer 131 sends and receives signals to computers (controllers) directly running the system hardware: a) controller 132 for xyz motion system of the liquid dispensing device 110 with automatic pipettes executing liquid handling sequences, b) controller 133 for the six-axis robotic arm 120 executing robotic arm movement sequences, c) controller for vacuum gripper 121 executing vacuum/pressure switching (the controller is integrated in the gripper), d) controller 205 for camera executing camera settings adjustments and seed detection procedure.

A scheme of the control unit and the control of individual parts of the device of the invention is shown in Fig. 4.

The device (except for some parts of the control unit) is enclosed in sterile hood 140 consists of the frame made of aluminum extrusions with metal sheet and glass sides and doors 141, sterile internal environment is achieved using HEPA filter 142 with controllable fan, and UV germicide lamp 143.

The system for detecting the gripping of a seed is integrated in one of the positions of the holder 111, and it is shown in detail in Fig. 2, with a further detail of the chamber for seed inspection, camera and chambers for light dispersion presented in Fig. 3. The system contains a 3D printed frame 200 in standard MTP format, with slots for camera 201, integrated FED lights 202, chambers 203 for light dispersion and seed illumination, chamber 204 for seed inspection, camera controller 205. The seed containers 206 are provided within the same frame 200, in order to minimize the distance from the seed container to the chamber for seed inspection and thus further decrease the risk of dropping the seed. Close to the seed containers 206 is a calibration point 207 for electric vacuum gripper position calibration.

Fig. 3 shows in more detail the camera 201, FED lights 202, chambers 203 for light dispersion and chamber 204 for seed inspection made of white translucent PEA. Fig. 3 also shows the hollow needle 122 with a gripped seed 300, the hollow needle 122 being inserted through the opening into the chamber 204, so that the camera 201 may capture images and the system may assess whether the seed is gripped properly (in particular, whether exactly one seed is gripped).

The device works as follows:

Consumables, liquids and seeds are inserted into the protective hood 140 through the door 141 and placed in positions at the holder 111. The protective hood 140 is then closed and the entire inner space of the hood 140 is sterilized with UV lamp 143. The HEPA filter 142 is switched on for air filtration. A pre-programmed procedure is started in the master computer 131, the liquid dispensing device 110 and the robotic arm 120 are automatically checked for proper positioning. Optionally, the vacuum gripper 121 with hollow needle 122 is re-aligned with calibration position. The liquid dispensing device 110 automatically dispenses cultivation media or gels into the plant cultivation vessels, e.g. multi-well plates, optionally in different concentration of individual media or gel components, or with tested chemicals in different concentrations, according to the pre-programmed procedure. After the dispensing of liquids into the cultivation vessels is completed, the robotic arm 120 with vacuum gripper 121 and hollow needle 122 starts picking/gripping seeds from seed containers. Every seed is checked by the system for detecting the gripping of a seed.

The system for detecting the gripping of the seed works as follows: The hollow needle 122 is inserted via the opening into the chamber 204 for seed inspection. Optimal seed illumination independent on external light conditions is achieved using two LED fixtures emitting light towards plastic chambers 203 where the light is evenly dispersed/scattered and guided around the seed. The camera 201 shoots images (in the specific tested embodiment, the camera works with resolution 640x400 pixels at frame rate 50 Hz). The image processor integrated in the camera calculates the color (hue) and saturation of each RGB pixel from the image and uses these as the primary filtering parameters. For seed detection, the color range of typical seed is investigated using a camera adjustment program running at the camera controller 205. The seed color pattern is compared with the images and the seed is identified together with the position of the seed within the image. This image analysis is averaged for 0.2 s to filter out random noise in image acquisition. The camera controller 205 sends the information about the positive or negative result of the detection of seed gripping into the master computer 131 for consequent robotic arm movements.

When the detection result is positive (i.e., exactly one seed was gripped), the seed is placed into a pre determined cultivation vessel, according to the pre-programmed procedure.

When the detection result is negative (for example, no seed was gripped, multiple seeds were gripped, or the hollow needle is clogged), a cleaning step is performed and/or the gripping step is repeated.

After a complete set of phenotyping samples is prepared, the system stops and reports a finished job and error messages, if any. The working and movements of individual parts are controlled by the master computer 131 and individual controllers.

Fig. 5 summarizes the above-described procedure as a workflow diagram.

Example of performance of the device:

Samples for phenotyping were prepared 96-well microtiter plates (MTP 96 wells) with cultivation medium (0.5x Murashige-Skoog (MS) medium) and three concentrations of a tested compound (100 mM, 500 mM, ImM): Arabidopsis thaliana (seed size around 0.2 mm, hollow needle inner diameter 0.15 mm) and Amaranthus (seed size around 1 mm, hollow needle inner diameter 0.33 mm) Pipetting MS medium (accuracy): automatic eight channel pipette 100 pL ± 1,5 pL.

Pipetting dilutions of tested compounds (accuracy): automatic eight channel pipette 10 pL ± 0,3 pL; 1 pL ± 0,1 pL.

Seed gripping performance:

Claims

1. A device for automated preparation of seed samples, said device comprising a movable robotic arm (120) with a vacuum gripper (121) equipped with a hollow needle (122) configured to grip a seed by means of vacuum suction, a holder (111) for at least one plant cultivation vessel, a holder for at least one seed container, and a system for detecting the gripping of a seed.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the hollow needle (122) is a hollow tube having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, wherein the inner diameter is between 0,05 mm and 5 mm, preferably between 0,1 mm and 2 mm; and/or the hollow needle is mounted removably.

3. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder (111) for plant cultivation vessel(s) is movable along at least one linear axis.

4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder (111) for plant cultivation vessel(s) features one or more positions for plant cultivation vessel(s) with controlled conditions, such as controlled temperature for heating or chilling the plant cultivation vessel(s).

5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder (111) for plant cultivation vessel(s) further includes a liquid dispensing device (110) configured to inject a pre -determined amount of a liquid into the plant cultivation vessel(s), wherein the liquid dispensing device (110) contains one or more dispensing units in the form of tubes, nozzles or pipette tips, and optionally one or more liquid reservoirs connected with the corresponding dispensing units; the liquid dispensing device (110) is preferably movable.

6. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holder for at least one plant cultivation vessel and the holder for at least one seed container are formed integrally, as one holder with at least one position suitable for insertion of plant cultivation vessel(s) and with at least one position suitable for insertion of seed container(s), and optionally at least one position suitable for insertion of consumables.

7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an object-manipulating gripper configured to manipulate objects, such as seed containers or plant cultivation vessels, and/or configured to open and close covers of the containers and/or vessels.

8. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system for detecting the gripping of a seed contains a chamber (204) with an opening for inserting the hollow needle (122) of the vacuum gripper (121) with a gripped seed, a camera (201), a source of light, and an image -processing system.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the chamber (204) is preferably substantially pyramidal in shape and the camera (201) is located in the apex of the pyramid; and the opening for inserting the hollow needle (122) with the gripped seed is made in one of the walls of the chamber (204), preferably in the upper wall of the chamber (204).

10. The device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the image -processing system involves at least one processor which is configured to obtain the images from the camera (201) and to process the images by calculating the color or hue and saturation for each pixel, filtering out the pixels corresponding to the seed and assessing the position and shape of the seed image.

11. The device according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the source of light is a source of dispersed light in the form of a light source (202) provided outside the chamber (204) while the walls of the chamber (204) are made of a light-dispersing material; preferably at least two identical light sources (202) are arranged in regular distances around the chamber.

12. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, further containing a calibration point (207) for calibrating the positioning of the vacuum gripper (121).

13. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, further containing a protective hood (140) wherein at least the robotic arm (120) with the vacuum gripper (121) and the hollow needle (122), the holder (111) for at least one plant cultivation vessel, and the system for detecting the gripping of a seed are enclosed in the protective hood (140), and wherein the protective hood preferably contains an air inlet with an air sterilization system (142) and an internal sterilization system (143) such as germicide lamp(s), internal air filtration system, or system for adding germicidal substances into the inlet air.

14. Use of the device according to any one of the preceding claims in preparation of seed samples for plant phenotyping.

15. A method of preparation of seed samples for plant phenotyping, wherein the said method uses the device as described herein above and comprises the following steps: a) providing seeds in at least one seed container and providing at least one plant cultivation vessel; b) causing the movement of the vacuum gripper so that the open end of the hollow needle approaches the seeds in the seed container; c) switching on the vacuum, thus gripping one seed from the seed container by the open end of the hollow needle of the vacuum gripper; d) causing the movement of the vacuum gripper so that the open end of the hollow needle with the gripped seed moves into the field of vision of the camera of the system for detecting the gripping of a seed, and detecting that one seed is attached to the open end of the said hollow needle; e) if the result of the detection in step d) is negative, repeating steps b) and c); f) if the result of the detection in step d) is positive, causing the movement of the vacuum gripper so that the open end of the hollow needle with the gripped seed moves above a pre -determined location of a plant cultivation vessel and switching off the vacuum, thus causing the seed to fall to the said pre determined location.