1869, Dr. Norbu of Germany established the world's first seed testing station and began to work. Thus announced the official birth of seed testing. Nobu became a recognized founder of seed science and seed testing. 2. International Seed Inspection Association

ISTA is a worldwide intergovernmental association composed of official seed testing laboratories (stations) and technical experts from different countries. It consists of Executive Committee, Secretariat and 17 Technical Committee. ISTA issued the first edition of international seed inspection regulations on 193 1, and revised it every three years. 1956, the Ministry of Agriculture set up the Seed Management Bureau, with an inspection room, and began to organize the formulation of seed inspection method standards and seed grading standards. It was not until 1975 that the Ministry of Agriculture officially promulgated the ministerial standards "Technical Regulations for Seed Inspection of Major Crops" and "Seed Grading Standards for Major Crops", thus ending the history of no standard for seeds in China.

1983 formulated and promulgated the national standard "Rules for Inspection of Crop Seeds" and quality grading standards, and 1985 revised them. 1995 revised and promulgated the crop seed inspection regulations and its supporting quality standards.