Burial depth and crop residue influence the seed fate and seedling emergence of Avena ludoviciana

To understand Avena ludoviciana persistence in the no-tillage conservation agriculture system and to find out a suitable management option, the two types of seed (i.e., primary and secondary) produced by this weed (biotype: Westmar) were placed either at 0, 2, 8, or 15 cm burial depth with 0, 2, or 3 t ha-1 wheat residue load in tubs under natural conditions to study seed fate (emergence, dead and viable) and emergence pattern over 21 months. The study was conducted at the University of Queensland Gatton campus from 2019 to 2021. The seeds were exhumed after 8, 16 and 21 months of burial. The total dead seeds were the combination of lethal germination (found while seeds were within the tub under natural conditions) and dead seeds (found in the laboratory test after exhumation). The total viable seeds were the combination of dormant and quiescent seeds (both status were explored after seeds were placed into germination test in the laboratory following their exhumation from tubs).