Patent ID: 8580566

Claim:
An apparatus for preparing plant tissue for plant production, the apparatus comprising: a first station including a first rack system configured to support at least one culture vessel; a second station including an automated member configured to manipulate the at least one culture vessel and further comprising a dispensing system configured to dispense a substance to the at least one culture vessel when in the open position; and a third station having a second rack system configured to support the at least one culture vessel after being manipulated by the automated member, wherein the automated member is configured to manipulate the at least one culture vessel by selectively moving the at least one culture vessel between an open position and a closed position, wherein the automated member comprises a robotic arm provided at the second station and having at least one degree of freedom, wherein the robotic arm includes vacuum heads coupled to a vacuum system, the vacuum heads configured to engage the at least one culture vessel, wherein the dispensing system is configured to dispense a base media to the at least one culture vessel, wherein the dispensing system is further configured to dispense at least one of an embryogenic tissue, organogenic tissue and vegetative tissue to the at least one culture vessel, and wherein the at least one of the embryogenic tissue, organogenic tissue and vegetative tissue is in the form of a liquid suspension culture and the dispensing system is in fluid communication with at least one reservoir containing the suspension culture.