Designed for seed testing procedures based on ISTA standards
As global seed trade, variety breeding, and seed quality regulation continue to advance, seed laboratories are increasingly developing toward standardization, digitalization, and automation. Whether serving the Southeast Asian market, the Russian market, or research breeding and commercial seed testing in Europe and North America, laboratory construction must be based on internationally recognized standards to ensure accurate and globally accepted testing results.
Among these standards, the ISTA Rules established by the International Seed Testing Association have become an important foundation for global seed quality testing and a key reference system for building standardized seed laboratories.
The Seed Inspection Process Involved
Applications
Commercial seed company laboratories
National and regional seed testing centers
Agricultural research institutes
Plant breeding companie
University agricultural laboratories
Plant quarantine and customs systems
Grain and crop quality inspection institutions
In the ISTA (International Seed Testing Association) standard system, Sampling is one of the most critical preliminary steps in seed testing, because all subsequent results—such as purity, germination, moisture, and health testing—depend on whether the sample is representative.
Sampling usually includes two operations
- Primary Sampling → Taking primary samples from the entire seed lot
- Sample Reduction / Dividing → Uniformly reducing the large sample into laboratory working samples
QY-1
Stainless Steel Grain Probe Sampler
QY-2
Grain Probe Sampler with Wood Handle
LXFY-2
Electric Centrifugal Seed Divider
JFYZ
Seed Divider Boerner Type
HGG
Riffle Seed Divider (Stainless Steel)
HGT
Riffle Seed Divider
( Steel Plate）
In ISTA Purity Analysis, the core principle is to accurately separate and determine the proportion of:
- Pure seed；Other seeds；Inert matter / impurities
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- Divider → Seed Cleaner (rough separation) → Electric Seed Sieve Shaker (size grading) → Air-Blower
- Purity Separator (light/heavy separation) → Purity Work Board (final manual determination)
Equipment Description
- Seed Cleaner — Pre-treatment equipment used to improve efficiency by removing large impurities such as straw and stones.
- Electric Seed Sieve Shaker — Separates seeds and impurities according to particle size.
- Air-Blower Purity Separator — Uses aerodynamic principles to separate filled seeds, shriveled seeds, light impurities, and husks.
- Purity Work Board — One of the most important devices in ISTA purity analysis, used for final manual determination.
5S-200
Plot Seed Cleaner
TPSX-G250
Seed Color Sorter
DSX
Electric Sieve Shaker
JJSG
Grain Sieves
CFY-2
Seed Blower
CFY-3
Seed Blower
CFY-4
Seed Blower
TJD-800
Seed Purity Analysis Workstation
TJD-900
Seed Purity Analysis Workstation
TJD-1300A
Seed Purity Analysis Workstation
Used to evaluate seed size, fullness, seeding rate calculation, and varietal characteristics.
It represents the average weight of 1,000 seeds, usually expressed in grams (g).
Main Equipment
- Automatic Seed Counter — Automatically counts seeds to improve batch testing efficiency. Some models include weighing functions and can automatically calculate thousand seed weight.
SLY-F Plus
AI Seed Counter
SLY-F
Automatic Sampling Seed Counter
SLY-E
Automatic Seed Counting and Weighing Machine
SLY-D
Automatic Seed Counter
SLY-C Plus
Automatic Seed Counter
T K Series
Electronic Balance
T K Series
Electronic Analytical Balance
Seed moisture content directly affects storage safety and germination ability.
Main Methods
1.Oven Method — Standard Arbitration / Reference Method
Sampling → Grinder → Weighing → Drying Oven → Desiccator Cooling → Re-weighing → Calculation1.
2.Moisture Meter Method — Rapid Moisture Detection
TPD-4L
Seed Single Seed Grinder
TPD-4G
High-Throughput Single Seed Grinder
LDS-1H/1S
Grain Moisture Meter
LDS-1G
Grain Moisture Meter
THG Series
Hot Air Circulation Drying Oven
Germination testing is one of the core testing items in seed laboratories.
Complete Workflow
Using a Vacuum Seed Counter & Seeder, Germination Board, and Suction Pen for sowing and seed placement → Place seeds into germination boxes and germination paper for incubation → Observe and evaluate germination in a Climate Chamber (light, temperature, humidity controlled) or Illuminated Incubator (light and temperature controlled).
TP-SZC-50
Seed Germination Bed Seeder
TP-SZC-60
Seed Germination Bed Seeder
ZLC-2000
Seed Counter & Placing Apparatus
SZ-3
Large Seed Bed Board
DXB-A
Electric suction pen
12*12 13*19cm Seed Germination Box
13*19 11.5*11.5 60*60cm Seed Germination Paper
TP-R
Intelligent Artificial Climate Chamber
RTOP-Y
Basic Artificial Climate Chamber
TP-G
Intelligent Light Incubator
GTOP-Y
Basic Intelligent Light Cultivation Box
Vigour testing is used to evaluate seed germination performance and field emergence potential under stress conditions.
Common Tests
TP-RC-S
Low Temperature Plant Incubator
LH-150S/LH-250S
Series Seed Aging Cabinet
PT-N500
Convenient Conductivity Meter
PDS-307
Desktop Conductivity Meter
Seed health testing is used to detect pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses.
Common Methods
Culture Method — Seeds are incubated under suitable conditions to allow pathogens to grow for observation and identification.
- Equipment: Biochemical Incubator
Microscopic Observation — Direct observation of pathogen morphology on seed surfaces, inside seeds, or after culturing.
- Equipment: Microscope
PCR Molecular Detection — Extraction of pathogen DNA/RNA followed by amplification using specific primers.
- Equipment: qPCR System, Gel Imaging System
TPX Series
Biochemical incubator
TL-165 Series
Zoom stereo microscope
TMZ180 Series
Zoom stereo microscope
TMC100 Series
Basic biological microscope
TMC300W Series
Upgraded stereo microscope
XTL-165-LCD
Digital zoom stereo microscope
TMC500 Series
Digital biological microscope
T1600-Series
Real-time quantitative PCR
TP96C4 / TP96C6
Real-time quantitative PCR
TP04S Series
Gel imaging system
GMO testing has become an important testing item in international trade.
1. GMO Rapid Detector
Function
Used for rapid reading of GMO test strips or on-site rapid screening.
Common Targets
Corn, Soybean, Cotton, Rapeseed
Applications
Port quarantine, grain collection stations, incoming material screening in seed companies.
2. GMO Lateral Flow Test Strip
Principle
Immunochromatographic detection of GMO-expressed proteins.
Examples
- Cry1Ab (Insect resistance)
- CP4 EPSPS (Glyphosate tolerance)
Advantages
- Fast (5–10 minutes)
- No PCR equipment required
- Suitable for field applications
3. Herbicide Tolerance GMO Test Strip
Detection Target
Commonly used for detecting glyphosate-tolerance protein expression, such as Roundup Ready series.
Typical Crops
Soybean, Corn, Rapeseed
4. Bt GMO Test Kit
Detection Targets
Bt insect-resistant proteins including:
- Cry1Ab
- Cry1Ac
- Cry2A
Suitable for corn, cotton, and other crops.
TPJY-1
Genetically Modified Variety Rapid Detector
Bt Cry1Ab/1Ac
Genetically Modified Organism Rapid Test Strip
The X-ray test is a non-destructive testing method used to rapidly observe the internal structure of seeds.
Detectable Features
- Empty seeds
- Insect-damaged seeds
- Embryo damage
- Internal cracks
- Developmental abnormalities
HY-1600T
Seed X-Ray Machine
HY-1800T
Seed X-Ray Machine
HY-1080/HY-1090
Intelligent Agricultural X-Ray Machine
With the development of smart agriculture and digital breeding, automated seed phenotyping is becoming an important direction in the modern seed industry.
Analyzable Parameters
- Seed shape
- Seed size
- Color
- Germination dynamics
- Root growth
- Vigour index
TPM-BX-1
Wheat Phenotyping System
TPS-BX-1
Rice Phenotyping System
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