Seed is the custodian of the genetic, potential of any cultivar and determines the limits of productivity in any cropping system. So awareness for seed health has increased among the growers, traders and consumers in recent years. A seed-borne inoculum not only secures the presence of a virulent strain of the pathogen along the seed but also favors the earliest possible establishment of the infection in seedlings along with possible threat of introduction of new physiological races/stains with seed. With the guidelines of ISTA a number of detection methods starting from visual observation to PCR based molecular methods are being used for the detection of fungi, bacteria, virus and other seed borne pathogen. As detection of seed borne pathogens is the first line approach in managing seed borne diseases of plants so new methods of detection along with seed health testing approach are necessary to avoid the constraints in seed production and to reduce the cost for disease management in agriculture.
