A selective transplanter is provided for transplanting seedlings from a tray to seedling planting apparatus. The tray includes a plurality of cells for holding plugs (50) of growing medium containing seedlings. The transplanter is arranged to eject plugs from the cells of the tray to a conveyor (7) which conveys the plugs (50) to the seedling planting apparatus. The transplanter is arranged to remove plugs (50) that do not contain germinated seedlings from the conveyor (7) at a removal position (6) before they are transferred to the seedling planting apparatus. A seedling retention roller (20) engages with plant material (16) of the seedlings projecting from the plugs (50) at the removal position (6) before the plugs are transferred to the seedling planting apparatus, preventing removal of plugs (50) containing seedlings with projecting plant material (16). The transplanter provides the advantage that the plugs containing seedlings can be planted in rows in a field without dud plugs being planted, leaving the rows substantially gap free.
