Method and computer program product for distinguishing and sorting seeds containing a genetic element of interest

• US 8,965,564 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2013
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pioneer Hi-Bred International (Corteva, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pioneer Hi-Bred International (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Becker, Steven M., Corak, Steven J., Hunter, James L., Jaehnel, Gary L., Lu, Hugh, Stevenson, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOGAN, KYLE O
• Application Number:
  US13/870,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20140058557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 700/223
• US Class Current: 700/223
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/02 Measures preceding sorting, e.g. arranging articles in a stream orientating sorting and transport of caps B67B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/34 Sorting according to other particular properties material testing per se G01N; quality control G07C3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3425 of granular material, e.g. ore particles, grain investigation moving fluids or granular solids using optical means G01N21/85
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3427 by changing or intensifying the optical properties prior to scanning, e.g. by inducing fluorescence under UV or x-radiation, subjecting the material to a chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/85 Investigating moving fluids or granular solids

Abstract

In various embodiments, the present invention comprises associating a marker with at least some of the seeds containing a genetic element of interest of the bulk sample, exciting the seeds using an photonic emitting device, evaluating at least some of the seeds of the bulk sample for the presence or absence of the marker, and sorting the seeds containing a genetic element of interest based on the presence or absence of the marker. In various other embodiments, the method may comprise associating a red fluorescent protein marker with at least some of the seeds containing a genetic element of interest of the bulk sample, evaluating at least some of the seeds of the bulk sample for the presence of the red fluorescent protein marker using an evaluating device, and sorting the seeds containing a genetic element of interest based on the presence of the red fluorescent protein marker.

Claims

1. A method for distinguishing seeds containing a genetic element of interest from a bulk sample, the method comprising:

associating a red fluorescent protein marker with a genetic element of interest contained in at least some of the seeds of a bulk sample;

loading at least a portion of the seeds from the bulk sample into a hopper;

exciting fluorescence in at least some of the portion of seeds with an LED light source;

automatically feeding the portion of seeds past an image sensing device; and

automatically sorting the seeds based on the presence or absence of fluorescence.

2. The method for distinguishing seeds of claim 1, wherein exciting fluorescence in at least some of the portion of seeds with an LED light source comprises exciting at least some of the portion of seeds with an LED array.

3. The method for distinguishing seeds of claim 1, wherein exciting fluorescence in at least some of the portion of seeds with an LED light source comprises exciting at least some of the portion of seeds with a green LED light source.

4. The method for distinguishing seeds of claim 1, wherein exciting fluorescence in at least some of the portion of seeds with an LED light source comprises exciting at least some of the portion of seeds with a green LED array light source.