Reproductive biology data of Avena sterilis ssp. ludoviciana in relation to drought stress

Avena sterilis ssp. ludoviciana (hereafter A. ludoviciana) data on plant maturity time, and seed production, dormancy, and longevity of four northern grains region (NGR) of Australia in relation to the severity of drought stress over two consecutive years. Plants of all four A. ludoviciana biotypes were grown under 100% plant available water content (PAWC) until panicle initiation. At panicle initiation, very mild (80% PAWC), mild (60% PAWC), moderate (40% PAWC), and severe (20% PAWC) drought stresses were imposed on plants and continued through to maturity. Plants grown under 100% PAWC throughout their lives were considered as controls. Plants exposed to severe drought stress matured 24 days earlier than control plants, and produced 34% fewer filled seeds, with seeds having a 42% lower mass, 70% less dormancy, and shorter predicted longevity of at least 2 years compared to the seeds produced on control plants.