OBJECTIVE： To select the optimum conditions for germination test of Astragalus membranaceus seed and provide reference for the formulation of testing rules of A. membranaceus seed. METHODS： First， the dormancy of A. membranaceus seeds were broken by soaking seed with 98％ H2SO4 for 30 min and 35 ℃ warm water for 9 h， then treated with different temperatures of germination， different germinating beds and light conditions. Different treatment methods were evaluated by germination rate， germination potential and germination index. RESULTS： With the increase of temperature， germination rate， germination potential and germination index decreased. At 30 ℃， germination rate， germination index， and germination potential were significantly lower than those of seed with other treatments， in which the germination rate was the highest at 15 ℃； but there wasn’t significant difference in germination rate of 15 ℃ and 20 ℃. There were no significant differences in germination rate of different germination beds， but sand bed could restrain bacterial growth well. Under both light and dark conditions， seed could normally germinate. The appropriate condition of A. membranacus seed germination was at 15 ℃， sand bed and dark. The germination rate， germination potential and germination index were （98.5±0.65）％， （85.5±0.87）％ and 175.8±2.31， respectively. Meanwhile， the germination period was only 4 days. CONCLUSIONS： Suggested quality control method of A. membranaceus seed is that at 15 ℃， sand bed and dark. The second day of germination as initial counting time and forth day as the last counting time are used to calculate germination index. This method is easy and controllable. It also has short germination period and high germination rate.