Singulate, orient and chip individual seeds for genomic selection

Bayer Crop Science runs proprietary seed chipping at scale: individual seeds are singulated, oriented, and held while a small tissue chip is removed for DNA/marker analysis, with the seed kept viable and identity-preserved so high-marker seeds can be advanced and planted. Seeds vary in size, shape, hardness and surface texture across species and lots, and the chip must be taken from a specific region without damaging the embryo/germ so the seed still germinates. This sits at the front of the breeding pipeline feeding a high-throughput genotyping lab that processes millions of samples a year, so per-unit cycle time and single-seed identity tracking matter. It is hard for a robot because each seed is a small, variable-geometry biological object that must be gripped firmly enough to resist the cutting force yet gently enough not to crush or fracture the germ, and the cut depth/location must respect anatomy that vision alone cannot fully resolve. We identified this through our own research; we have not confirmed the specifics with the customer directly. This page is our researched read — a starting point for that conversation.