The variety of Chinese cabbage seeds were recognized using hyperspectral imaging with 256 bands from 874 to 1 734 nm in the present paper. A total of 239 Chinese cabbage seed samples including 8 varieties were acquired by hyperspectral image system, 158 for calibration and the rest 81 for validation. A region of 15 pixel 15 pixel was selected as region of interest (ROI) and the average spectral information of ROI was obtained as sample spectral information. Multiplicative scatter correction was selected as pretreatment method to reduce the noise of spectrum. The performance of four classification algorithms including Ada-boost algorithm, extreme learning machine (ELM), random forest (RF) and support vector machine (SVM) were examined in this study. In order to simplify the input variables, 10 effective wavelengths (EMS) including 1 002, 1 005, 1 015, 1 019, 1 022, 1 103, 1 106, 1 167, 1 237 and 1 409 nm were selected by analysis of variable load distribution in PLS model. The reflectance of effective wavelengths was taken as the input variables to build effective wavelengths based models. The results indicated that the classification accuracy of the four models based on full-spectral were over 90%, the optimal models were extreme learning machine and random forest, and the classification accuracy achieved 100%. The classification accuracy of effective wavelengths based models declined slightly but the input variables compressed greatly, the efficiency of data processing was improved, and the classification accuracy of EW-ELM model achieved 100%. ELM performed well both in full-spectral model and in effective wavelength based model in this study, it was proven to be a useful tool for spectral analysis. So rapid and nondestructive recognition of Chinese cabbage seeds by hyperspectral imaging combined with machine learning is feasible, and it provides a new method for on line batch variety recognition of Chinese cabbage seeds.