48 Tube Seed Dispenser

Pour the seed onto the mesh plate, tilt the dispenser so the surplus runs back into the tray, set it on the loaded rack and pull the slider once. All 48 tubes receive one seed at the same moment.

Standard 1.5 and 2.0 mL microtubes, screwcap and snapcap alike, and 2 mL GC autosampler vials. The pocket is Ø12.00 mm, so body diameter is the figure that decides it: a standard microtube sits at 10.80 mm. Anything wider, such as a cryovial or a 5 mL tube, needs a converter built to that diameter.

No. Each tube is registered by its own pocket rather than by brackets closing around the rack, so cap style and tube height do not affect the fit. Tube height is set at build time when the rack is made to your tube.

Seeds from 0.2 to 9.0 mm, across more than 120 seed types. The 29 standard plates cover species from Arabidopsis sized seed up to corn and sunflower. The plate, not the dispenser, sets the seed it holds.

Send us a seed sample. The custom seed plate (MGLT54824) is cut to your seed, and our own tech division makes the plate in house.

Yes. Every 48 tube format seed plate can be ordered on its own for a dispenser you already own. The full list is on the mesh plates page.

Seat the 48 Tube Seed Dispenser over your rack, pour seeds onto the mesh, tilt to return surplus, then pull the slider. All 48 tubes fill in one action: no pipette tips, no tweezers required.

The 48 Tube Seed Dispenser accommodates seeds from 0.2 mm to 9.0 mm depending on the mesh plate installed. Exchangeable mesh plates let you switch between maize, soybean, tomato, and other species without replacing the dispenser frame.

Manual loading of 48 individual tubes takes 3–6 minutes per rack. With the LabTIE dispenser, the same task is completed in under 30 seconds, freeing technician time for data collection and phenotyping rather than seed handling.

The 48-tube format is generally used for larger seeds (>0.5 mm). For very small seeds like Arabidopsis thaliana, the 96-Well Arabidopsis Seed Dispenser with its fine mesh is better suited to the scale and seed size.

Dispense directly into 48-tube extraction racks for uniform seed number per tube. The <1% empty-tube error keeps tissue input consistent, reducing variation in DNA yield that would otherwise skew downstream genotyping.

Assign each tray of seeds to a single variety, pull the slider for one rack per variety, and advance to the next tray. The tray design prevents cross-contamination between varieties without requiring disassembly between runs.

The 48 Tube Seed Dispenser is matched to the 48-tube rack footprint. For 45-tube racks, 96-well plates, or 100-well trays, LabTIE makes dedicated dispensers, each engineered to seat precisely on its target container.

Under standard lab conditions the dispenser achieves <1% empty tubes. Accuracy depends on correct mesh plate selection for the seed size; using an over-large aperture is the most common source of double fills.

Remove the mesh plate, invert and tap to clear remaining seeds, then rinse with 70% ethanol. For genetic isolation between GM and non-GM material, autoclave at 134 °C, 3 bar: all parts are autoclave-safe.

Standard units leave the Netherlands within 1–3 business days; EU parcels arrive in 2–5 days and international shipments in 5–10 days. Expedited shipping is available on request for time-sensitive planting schedules.

Yes. Send a seed sample and LabTIE’s in-house technical division will produce a custom mesh plate matched to your seed size and tube inner diameter, usually within 5 working days.

The dispenser is designed for standard 48-tube rack formats. For cryogenic tubes or deep-well configurations, provide your rack dimensions when requesting a quote so we can confirm seating clearance before ordering.

When your assay uses tube arrays rather than microplates, a tube-format dispenser is the appropriate choice. The LabTIE 48 Tube Seed Dispenser fills 48 tubes simultaneously in a single pass, handles seeds from 0.2 to 9 mm, and supports more than 120 species via interchangeable mesh plates. It is the standard choice for labs running pot-based germination trials or root phenotyping in tube racks.

Breeding programmes that assess root architecture, stem elongation, or biomass in individual containers use tube-format dispensers to achieve uniform sowing density. The LabTIE 48 Tube Seed Dispenser delivers one seed per tube across all 48 positions simultaneously, eliminating the variability introduced by manual tweezers or hand-counting. It is used at seed companies and university phenotyping facilities where tube racks are the primary growth container.

Arabidopsis thaliana is most often sown into microplates rather than tube arrays, but the LabTIE 48 Tube Seed Dispenser can handle Arabidopsis seeds when fitted with the correct mesh plate (0.2 to 0.5 mm aperture). For standard Arabidopsis work in 96-well or 48-well formats, the dedicated plate dispensers are more commonly specified. Contact LabTIE if your protocol requires single Arabidopsis seeds in individual tubes.

Choose the 48 tube format when your germination protocol requires individual containers with substrate depth greater than a microplate allows, such as soil columns or root observation tubes. The LabTIE 48 Tube Seed Dispenser loads all 48 tubes in one action and is validated for seeds from 0.2 to 9 mm. For plate-based germination assays, the 96-well or 48-well plate dispensers are more suitable.

Genomics workflows that grow seedlings to the V2 or V3 leaf stage before extracting DNA sometimes use tube-format growth systems because tubes provide more root volume. The LabTIE 48 Tube Seed Dispenser ensures one seed per tube so that every DNA sample represents a single individual. For extraction from seedlings grown in 96-well plates, the 96-Well Seed Dispenser is the more standard instrument.

For tube-format workflows, confirm that the dispenser grid matches your tube rack spacing and that mesh plates are available for your target species. The LabTIE 48 Tube Seed Dispenser is designed for 48-position tube arrays and supports seeds across more than 120 species. Also verify tube diameter compatibility: LabTIE can advise on fit during the quotation process.

For 96-well plate germination screening, the LabTIE 96-Well Seed Dispenser is the purpose-built instrument. The LabTIE 48 Tube Seed Dispenser is optimised for tube-rack workflows where individual containers are required. If your germination screen uses 48 individual tubes rather than a microplate, this dispenser is the appropriate choice.

Yes. The LabTIE 48 Tube Seed Dispenser supports seeds from 0.2 mm upward when the matching mesh plate is fitted. Arabidopsis and similarly fine seeds can be sown into individual tubes using this dispenser, provided the tube opening is sufficient to receive a seed of that size. For most Arabidopsis protocols in plate format, the dedicated 96-Well Arabidopsis Seed Dispenser is the more conventional choice.