<p><i>Seed vigour</i> is a fundamental determinant of successful germination, uniform seedling emergence, and sustainable crop establishment. It is a complex, polygenic trait strongly influenced by environmental factors, particularly the escalating challenges of climate change such as drought, salinity, and high temperatures. Conventional seed vigour evaluation methods, including standard germination tests, accelerated ageing, and electrical conductivity assays, though widely adopted, often suffer from limitations such as being destructive, time-intensive, and less predictive of field performance. These constraints have prompted the development of innovative, non-destructive, and high-throughput approaches for seed quality assessment. Recent advancements include physiological and biochemical assays such as ethanol release tests, single-seed oxygen consumption, and volatile organic compound profiling, which provide rapid and sensitive insights into seed metabolic status. Parallel progress in imaging and spectral technologies, including chlorophyll fluorescence, near-infrared spectroscopy, multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, and X-ray imaging, has revolutionized vigour testing by enabling precise, real-time evaluation of seed structural integrity, biochemical composition, and physiological activity. This review synthesizes conventional and emerging seed vigour testing methods, highlighting their principles, applications, advantages, and limitations, with an emphasis on their role in enhancing seed technology and agricultural resilience under climate variability. Conventional seed vigour evaluation methods include physiological and biochemical tests, while emerging techniques employ molecular, imaging, and computational approaches for improved precision and efficiency. Overall, this review provides an integrated perspective on recent advancements in seed vigour assessment, offering insights to guide future research and practical applications in seed science and crop improvement.</p>