A sampling system (20, 500) for taking tissue samples from seeds while substantially maintaining seed viability, the sampling system (20, 500) comprising: a hopper (70, 550) for holding a plurality of seeds; a selector (74, 514) for selecting individual seeds from the plurality of seeds in the hopper (70, 550) and delivering the seed to an output; at least one distributor having a plurality of wells for receiving and holding a seed, each well of the at least one distributor being selectively connectable to an outlet; and characterised in that the sampling system further comprises a translator for moving the distributor relative to the output of the selector (74, 514), so that the output of the selector (74, 514) delivers a seed to each well in each distributor; a plurality of seed sample stations (72, 502, 600), each seed sample station (72, 502, 600) having an inlet communicating with an outlet of a distributor, and comprising a chamber having a sample frame with a recess for receiving a seed and a sampling groove into which portion of a seed in the recess protrudes; an extensible support for advancing a seed into the recess in the sampling frame; a reciprocating broach (154, 650) having a plurality of cutting edges (164, 652), the broach (154, 650) reciprocating in the groove in the sample frame to remove a sample from the portion of the seed in the recess protruding into the sampling groove; a sample transport mechanism (34, 656) for transporting tissue samples removed by the broach (154, 650) from a seed away from each sampling station (72, 502, 600); and a seed transport mechanism (32, 680) for transporting a sampled seed away from each sampling station (72, 502, 600) after sampling. a hopper (70, 550) for holding a plurality of seeds; a selector (74, 514) for selecting individual seeds from the plurality of seeds in the hopper (70, 550) and delivering the seed to an output; at least one distributor having a plurality of wells for receiving and holding a seed, each well of the at least one distributor being selectively connectable to an outlet; and characterised in that the sampling system further comprises a translator for moving the distributor relative to the output of the selector (74, 514), so that the output of the selector (74, 514) delivers a seed to each well in each distributor; a plurality of seed sample stations (72, 502, 600), each seed sample station (72, 502, 600) having an inlet communicating with an outlet of a distributor, and comprising a chamber having a sample frame with a recess for receiving a seed and a sampling groove into which portion of a seed in the recess protrudes; an extensible support for advancing a seed into the recess in the sampling frame; a reciprocating broach (154, 650) having a plurality of cutting edges (164, 652), the broach (154, 650) reciprocating in the groove in the sample frame to remove a sample from the portion of the seed in the recess protruding into the sampling groove; a sample transport mechanism (34, 656) for transporting tissue samples removed by the broach (154, 650) from a seed away from each sampling station (72, 502, 600); and a seed transport mechanism (32, 680) for transporting a sampled seed away from each sampling station (72, 502, 600) after sampling.