A seed sowing system for depositing seeds in a germination tray is disclosed. The seed sowing system may include a rotatable drum having a plurality of rows of apertures configured to pick up, carry, and release the seeds so that they fall into respective depressions in the germination tray. A light source may be provided to illuminate the row of seeds as each row passes through an illumination region while being carried on the rotatable drum. A detector may be positioned to capture light reflected from the rows of seeds as each row passes through the illumination region. Output signals from the detector may be analyzed to determine an improper quantity of seeds at predetermined locations on the rotatable drum. Based on this analysis, an alert and/or report may be provided to the operator so that he or she can adjust and/or repair the seed sowing system.
