Climatic Chamber Configurator
Discover the Climatic Chamber Configurator
Our guide to choosing the climate chamber best suited to your needs.
The discovery of agriculture was a pivotal moment in human history that allowed us to move from nomads to sedentary people.
At the heart of this revolution was mastering the secrets of plant germination, even though no one at the time called the process that.
Throughout human history, these secrets have become increasingly clear to us, but only in modern times has a laboratory instrument that allows us to fully understand them: the germination chamber.
Let's see what it's about.
What is Germination?
First things first: what is meant by germination?
Science defines it as "the return to active life of previously dormant organisms or organs." Simply put, it's the process by which seeds begin to grow into plants.
In addition to soil conditions, the success of this process is closely dependent on several environmental parameters. Three of the most influential are temperature, relative humidity , and sunlight.
Understanding how these variables affect different crops is vital for agriculture. Science comes to the rescue with the germination chamber.
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How the Germination Chamber Works
Belonging to the broader class of climatic chambers, the germination chamber is a laboratory instrument consisting of a compartment hermetically sealed from the outside within which it is possible to alter, regulate and monitor a series of environmental variables.
As we explained, the key variables for germination are temperature, relative humidity and sunlight.
With highly sophisticated technological tools, the germination chamber is able to precisely regulate the internal temperature and relative humidity levels, reaching - if necessary - values close to saturation.
Germination chambers also feature different sets of lamps that simulate varying sunlight intensities. Not all crops are the same, and the lighting they require varies depending on the species and the desired effects.
Uses of the Germination Chamber
The germination chamber is primarily used for agriculture , but it is obviously not a means of agricultural production. The crops grown in the germination chamber are a kind of prototype on which scientists conduct research with various objectives.
The aim is to obtain fundamental information to improve agricultural practices.
There are two common directions of research: on the one hand, identifying ideal conditions for growing known species, also simulating the impact of adverse or extreme conditions. On the other, testing new crosses that can effectively meet future challenges.
In today's world, in fact, studies conducted in the germination chamber help humanity in the fight against climate change, contributing significantly to the development of more resistant and adaptable crops, promoting global food security.
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The FDM Germination Chamber
FDM – Environment Makers has been a leader in the climate testing sector for 70 years.
Our germination chambers are highly professional laboratory instruments that can be designed in collaboration with the client. As we did with the University of Turin, for example. You can read the story here.
For any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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Reference Standards
- ISTA Rules — International Rules for Seed Testing, an international regulation updated annually for all seed quality tests.
- AOSA Rules for Testing Seeds — Association of Official Seed Analysts, North American reference for seed certification.
- ISO 4186 — Cereals: Sampling (as grain), method of sampling seeds for germination tests.
- ISO 2171 — Cereals, pulses and by-products: Determination of ash yield by incineration, parameter related to seed purity and viability.
- UNI EN ISO 6887-1 — Microbiology: preparation of samples and dilutions, applicable to microbiological tests on seeds.
Authoritative Sources
- ISTA – International Seed Testing Association. Global body that publishes the ISTA Rules and accredits 130+ national seed testing laboratories.
- AOSA – Association of Official Seed Analysts. North American reference organization for seed analysis methods.
- ENSE – National Institute of Selected Seeds. Italian seed certification authority and ISTA delegate for Italy.
When germination needs to be studied with CO₂ enrichment, the CO₂ test chamber allows the internal atmosphere to be adjusted according to the research needs.
Germination Chamber Frequently Asked Questions
What are the ISTA standard parameters?
The ISTA Rules define species-specific conditions for each crop. The general parameters for most agricultural species are: alternating temperature 20/30°C (16 h 20°C darkness + 8 h 30°C light) for cereals and legumes, a constant 20°C for horticultural species, and 25°C for tropical crops. Light should be provided at 750-1250 lux for 8 hours per day during the 30°C phase to break positive photoblastic dormancy (lettuce, tobacco, and many weeds).Relative humidity should be 90-100% to prevent drying out of the substrate. Test duration varies by species: 7-14 days for wheat, corn, and soybeans; 21-35 days for tomatoes, brassicas, and forestry plants. The chamber must guarantee uniformity of +/- 0.5°C in the usable volume and stability of +/- 1°C over time with day-night transition ramps.
What's the difference between germination and vigor testing?
Standard germination measures the percentage of seeds that produce normal seedlings under optimal laboratory conditions according to ISTA. It is a minimum indicator of batch viability. A seed germinates if it develops a radicle >= 3 mm with positive geotropism within the test duration. The vigor test instead evaluates the germination capacity in sub-optimal conditions (real field): thermal stress, non-ideal humidity, excessive sowing depth. Main methods: (1) Accelerated Aging (41 C, 100% RH for 72 h before germination test – simulates storage aging); (2) Cold Test (10 C for 7 days + standard germination – simulates cold spring sowing); (3) Cold-Warm Test in cycles; (4) Tetrazolium (biochemical staining for live mitochondria, rapid in 24 h); (5) Electrical conductivity (measures ions released by the seeds in 24 h, correlated to membrane integrity). A seed lot may have a standard 95% germination but 60% vigor – the latter better predicts field emergence.
Which substrates to choose?
The choice of substrate depends on the species and the protocol. Top-of-paper (TP): seeds placed on 2 layers of moist filter paper in a Petri dish, for small species (lettuce, Brassicaceae, herbaceous plants). Between-paper (BP): seeds between 2 sheets of rolled paper (paper roll towel) for cereals and legumes. Pleated paper (PP): pleated paper in trays for durum wheat, corn, alfalfa. Sand (S): 0.8-2 mm silica sand washed with HCl and rinsed, sterilized at 180 C, humidity 60% field capacity, used for large legumes (soybeans, beans), cereals, forestry plants. Soil/compost (SO): sterile soil for species requiring accentuated drainage, but less reproducible than sand. Agar: 1% agarized water for pathological tests on treated seeds. The substrate should always be pre-sterilized and pre-moistened before sowing to avoid variability. The filter paper must meet ISTA requirements (weight 80-90 g/m2, free of phytotoxic substances, pH 6.5-7.0).
How is the seed purity test performed?
The ISTA purity test precedes and completes germination. Procedure: (1) working sample sampling from the batch (weight according to species, 5-1000 g, via Boerner divider or alveolar method); (2) manual separation into 4 fractions – pure seed of the species, other crop seeds, weed seeds, inert matter (dirt, straw, broken seed < 50%); (3) analytical weighing of each fraction with a 0.01 g scale; (4) percentage calculation with respect to the total weight. The minimum pure seed content for certification varies: cereals R1 >= 99.0%, R2 >= 98.0%; certified forage >= 96-98%; basic vegetables >= 99.5%. The limit of harmful weeds (Ambrosia, Orobanche, Cuscuta) is typically 0 seeds/sample for certified classes. The total other crop seeds are limited to 0.3-2% according to species. The purity test requires a 5-10x magnifying glass, seed identification charts (Martin Manual, USDA Seed Herbarium online), and the expertise of an ISTA-certified seed analyst. It does not require a germination chamber, but a chamber with aRH of +/- 25°C / 50% RH. controlled
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Do you need to pass a regulatory test or are you looking for a chamber designed to your test protocol? Tell us your needs: the FDM technical team will respond to you, without intermediaries.
