Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for picking up and collecting plant matter, in particular plant embryos. To pick up the plant matter, a pick-up unit is used that is mounted to a robotic arm. According to the invention, two separate imaging steps are performed at two different positions of the pick-up unit. The first imaging step is performed to identify an isolated piece of plant matter. The second imaging step is performed when the pick-up unit is at a confirming position and enables a verification of whether a piece of plant matter has been picked up or not. The confirming position is in between the position of the pick-up unit for picking up plant matter and the position for depositing plant matter in suitable receptacles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing consumer-ready vegetables, mushrooms or herbs, involving a) culturing vegetables, mushrooms or herbs in a closed container under suitable growing conditions until maturity; and b) transferring the container with the mature ve-getable, mushrooms or herb to a retail outlet, wherein the vegetables, mushrooms or herbs are cultured in a container with a plant compartment for containing the vegetables, mushrooms or herbs and a separate water compartment for containing water and nutrients, wherein one of the two compartments is provided with means for allowing water and nutrients to enter the plant compartment while preventing contaminations and pathogens from entering the said plant compartment. Preventing contaminations is achieved a filter that is permeable to water and nutrients but impermeable to contaminations and pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, protists or insects, preferably in the bottom of the plant compartment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing consumer-ready vegetables, mushrooms or herbs, comprising the steps of culturing vegetables, mushrooms or herbs in a closed container under suitable growing conditions until maturity; and transferring the container with the mature vegetable, mushrooms or herb to a retail outlet. The culturing of the vegetables, mushrooms or herbs until maturity takes suitably place in or in the vicinity of the retail outlet. The invention further relates to a set for performing the method and to the container comprising the mature vegetables, mushrooms or herbs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a male sterile Rucola plant obtainable by a method which may comprise the steps of providing fertile pollen from Eruca sativa to the stamen of plants that contain CMS cytoplasm, allowing plant embryo's to develop, isolating the embryo's, raising the embryo's in tissue culture to produce plant lets, growing plants from the plantlets; selecting plants that are male sterile and female fertile; backcrossing these plants with fertile pollen from Eruca sativa; selecting a plant that is male sterile and female fertile; and optionally repeating steps g) and h).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a male sterile Rucola plant obtainable by a method which may comprise the steps of providing fertile pollen from Eruca sativa to the stamen of plants that contain CMS cytoplasm, allowing plant embryo's to develop, isolating the embryo's, raising the embryo's in tissue culture to produce plant lets, growing plants from the plantlets; selecting plants that are male sterile and female fertile; backcrossing these plants with fertile pollen from Eruca sativa; selecting a plant that is male sterile and female fertile; and optionally repeating steps g) and h).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a seedless eggplant. The method involves crossing a tetraploid eggplant plant and a diploid eggplant plant to obtain a triploid eggplant seed, and growing a fruit-bearing eggplant plant from the triploid eggplant seed, whereby that fruit is seedless.