PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for accurately and efficiently detecting seeds contaminated with seed-infective pathogenic bacteria mixed in a trace amount in a large amount of the seeds. SOLUTION: The method for examining plant seeds is characterized as follows. A material for germination in which the plant seeds are arranged is housed in a hermetically sealed container. After germinating the plant seeds, a liquid for extraction is added into the hermetically sealed container and a mixture liquid prepared by mixing and stirring of seedling of the plant seeds after the germination with the material for germination and the liquid for extraction is used as an examination material. The material for germination is preferably composed of paper having high water absorbency and/or cut pieces of the paper having the high water absorbency. Furthermore, the germination of the plant seeds and growth of the seedling are carried out by exchanging air in the hermetically sealed container with the outside air and thereby absorbing water or a 0.001-0.03 M phosphoric acid buffer in the material for germination. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
