Automated contamination-free seed sampler and methods of sampling, testing and bulking seeds

The invention relates to an automated seed sampler system (10), comprising an orientation system (200) configured to orient a seed; a sampling station (500) configured to remove tissue from the oriented seed; and a seed transport subsystem (600) capable of conveying the oriented seed to the sampling station (500). The seed transport subsystem (600) includes a seed holder (304) configured to hold the seed in a desired orientation. The orientation system (200) includes an imaging device (208) configured to collect at least one image of the seed, and is configured to orient the seed in a desired orientation based on the at least one image of the seed collected by the imaging device. Tissue may be removed from multiple seeds when these are positioned together in a desired orientation in a seed transport subsystem (600).