By Agriculturist M. Mojahidul Islam Selim, PhD

One of the key foundations of agricultural production, food security, and increased farmers’ income in Bangladesh is the availability of quality seed. Even when improved varieties are used, achieving the desired level of production is difficult unless seed quality—including germination capacity, physical purity, and varietal characteristics—is properly ensured. Therefore, internationally standardized seed testing is becoming increasingly important for the country’s seed industry.

Against this backdrop, the MNT Seed Testing Laboratory of Lal Teer Seed Limited has created significant potential to contribute to ensuring the quality of seeds in Bangladesh. According to information published by the organization, the laboratory, established in 1996, received accreditation under the Bangladesh Accreditation Board (BAB) against ISO/IEC 17025:2017 in 2022. Subsequently, in 2023, it received accreditation from the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). According to Lal Teer, it is the first ISTA-accredited seed testing laboratory in Bangladesh.

ISTA accreditation is not merely a certificate; it is an international recognition of a laboratory’s technical competence for specified seed testing activities. According to ISTA information, the scope of accredited testing at the MNT Seed Testing Laboratory includes manual sampling of seed lots, determination of physical purity, germination testing, and other activities involving seeds of various agricultural crops, cereals, pulses, vegetables, spices, herbs, and medicinal plant species.
Under ISTA rules, an accredited laboratory must conduct testing in accordance with the internationally established International Rules for Seed Testing and maintain an effective quality assurance system. This increases confidence in the reliability of test results and the laboratory’s technical competence.

On the other hand, ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation provides an important foundation for a laboratory’s technical competence and quality management system. Through MNT’s BAB accreditation, its framework for testing procedures, competent personnel, sample management, equipment maintenance and calibration, documentation, and reliability of test results has been strengthened.

Thus, BAB and ISTA accreditation have advanced MNT’s capabilities from two important perspectives. On one hand, there is laboratory quality and technical competence under the national accreditation framework; on the other, there are internationally recognized methods and expertise for specified seed testing activities.
Why Is This Important for Farmers?
Without reliable information about seed quality, farmers may purchase low-quality seed and suffer financial losses. Conversely, scientific testing can help identify problematic seed lots before they are marketed.
Germination testing provides important information about the potential of seeds to establish healthy seedlings in the field. Physical purity testing can detect the presence of seeds of other crops, weed seeds, and other unwanted materials. At the same time, proper sampling ensures that the sample tested adequately represents the relevant seed lot.
In other words, the chain—
Reliable Sampling → Scientific Testing → Quality Verification → Quality Seed → Better Crops
—can be strengthened through such a system.
Increasing Confidence in the Seed Industry
Access to internationally recognized testing facilities can strengthen the quality-control systems of private seed companies in Bangladesh. At the same time, it can increase the acceptance of tested seed among seed buyers, distributors, and farmers.

ISTA-accredited laboratories are also important in international seed trade. In some markets, an ISTA Certificate may be required for seed imports. Therefore, MNT’s international accreditation could contribute to expanding Bangladesh’s potential seed exports.

Experts believe that MNT Seed Testing Laboratory’s existing infrastructure and international accreditation could be utilized to develop it into an integrated “Quality Seed Hub” in the future.
In addition to conventional seed testing, the hub could incorporate:
Seed Health Laboratory
Molecular Laboratory
Seed Vigor Testing
Genetic Purity Testing
Digital Seed Traceability
Research and Innovation
Training and Capacity Building
Technologies such as PCR, qPCR, and LAMP could play an important role in detecting seed-borne diseases. DNA-based testing could be used to verify varietal and genetic purity, while advanced image-analysis technologies could support seed germination and seedling assessment.
Digital ‘Seed Passport’ Could Be Introduced
A digital traceability system covering the journey of seed from production to farmers could make quality control more transparent. A QR-code-based “Digital Seed Passport” could be introduced for each seed lot.
Such a system could store information including:
Seed production area
Lot number
Test results
Germination percentage
Physical purity
Packaging details
Marketing information
In the future, such a system could increase farmers’ and consumers’ confidence while helping identify counterfeit or substandard seed.

Opportunities for Expanding Seed Exports
Quality-oriented testing is an important factor in expanding Bangladesh’s seed trade internationally. Internationally standardized testing capabilities can help Bangladeshi seed companies meet the technical requirements of export markets.
When Lal Teer received ISTA accreditation in 2023, the company also stated that the accreditation would help ensure quality seed and contribute to increasing seed exports.

Therefore, for the future development of Bangladesh’s seed sector, laboratories should not be viewed merely as centers for quality testing. They can instead be developed as integrated platforms for research, innovation, seed health, genetic purity, and export support.

Skilled Human Resources and Continuous Investment Are Essential
Operating an internationally accredited laboratory requires not only modern equipment but also skilled and trained human resources. Seed analysts, samplers, researchers, and laboratory technicians need regular training, proficiency testing, and continuous capacity development in line with international standards.

To strengthen quality control in Bangladesh’s seed sector, there is a need to establish an integrated network among government and private seed testing laboratories. Government-level training and information sources also refer to the activities of ISTA-related seed testing laboratories in both public and private sectors.

In this context, the experience of MNT Seed Testing Laboratory could potentially serve as a model for improving the quality of other seed testing laboratories, developing training programs, and adopting modern technologies across the country.
Five Pillars for a ‘National Quality Seed Hub’
In the future, MNT could be developed into a comprehensive “National Quality Seed Hub” by prioritizing five key areas:
Accreditation

By integrating Seed Testing, Seed Health, Molecular Diagnostics, Seed Vigor, Research & Innovation, and Training, it would be possible to establish a comprehensive seed-quality assurance platform.
An Important Step Toward the Future of Agriculture
The importance of quality seed in Bangladesh’s agriculture is increasing day by day. In this context, MNT Seed Testing Laboratory’s BAB accreditation against ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and ISTA accreditation can be regarded as a significant achievement in the country’s seed testing system.

The next step should be to utilize this achievement on a broader scale. If seed health, genetic purity, modern molecular technologies, artificial intelligence, digital traceability, research, and export support can be brought together on a single platform, MNT could eventually evolve from a seed testing laboratory into a “Quality Seed Hub” for Bangladesh.

Such an initiative could create new opportunities to ensure the delivery of quality seed to farmers, increase confidence in the seed industry, improve agricultural productivity, and enhance the competitiveness of Bangladeshi seed in international markets.