Method of improved plant breeding

A plant breeding system for high throughput analysis of genetic traits in plants, comprising:

• (a) a first transporter system comprising a plurality of co-extensive storage transporters and a transfer conveyor adjacent to an end portion of the co-extensive storage transporters,
• wherein each storage transporter provides support for a row of several containers charged with growing medium of uniform characteristics, each container comprising one or more plants and each plant or container being associated with a machine-readable identification that distinguishes the plant or container from other plants or containers,
• wherein each storage transporter comprises a belt supporting the row of several containers, the belt being pulled back or forth by a motor allowing transport of the containers to or from the transfer conveyor;
• wherein the transfer conveyor cooperates with the storage transporters to allow the containers to be transported back and/or forth from one storage transporter to another storage transporter;
• (b) a continuous system for digital imaging of a plant comprising a second transporter system for moving one or more plants at one or more intervals during its growing cycle through the system for digital imaging while being turned and imaged in a controlled manner, a belt mechanism for turning the containers in a controlled manner, and one or more digital imaging devices,
• wherein the belt mechanism of the system for digital imaging comprises time-belts,
• wherein the time-belts and/or the containers are coated with a friction material having a coefficient of friction of about 0.6 or more,
• wherein the time-belts are positioned in order to grip the sides of the containers;
• and
• (c) a computer apparatus for analyzing digital images and/or information of one or more characteristics of the one or more plants taken with the one or more digital imaging devices.