A series of laboratory experiments was conducted to evaluate the germination ecology of buttongrass [Dactyloctenium radulans (R. Br.) P. Beauv.] for designing weed management practices in eastern Australia. Two populations (BG3 and BG4) were evaluated under varying temperature, light, salinity, water-stress, residue cover, and burial depth conditions. Germination was completely inhibited at 15/5 C (alternating day/night temperature regime) but increased at high-temperature regimes, reaching 90% to 92% at 30/20 C and remaining high (72% to 88%) at 35/25 C, indicating strong adaptation to warm climates. Both populations germinated well in light/dark (12/12 h) conditions (87% to 93%), while BG3 showed a reduction (80%) in complete darkness (24 h) compared with light/dark conditions, suggesting weak positive photoblastic behavior. Germination decreased progressively with increasing sodium chloride (NaCl) concentrations, with 50% inhibition at 40 mM NaCl, indicating moderate salt tolerance. Germination was reduced by 50% at osmotic potentials of -0.30 MPa and -0.25 MPa for BG3 and BG4 populations, respectively. Seedling emergence declined with increasing sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] residue loads, dropping by >80% at >6 Mg ha(-)(1), and was completely inhibited at 8-cm burial depth. These results demonstrate that D. radulans is a thermophilic, light-responsive, shallow-emerging grass capable of germinating under moderate salinity and water-stress conditions, enabling persistence in semiarid and reduced-tillage systems. High residue retention and deep burial of seeds (>= 8 cm) could significantly suppress emergence, providing ecologically sustainable management options. Future studies should quantify population-level physiological variations and integrate temperature, moisture, and residue interactions into predictive emergence models to guide region-specific weed management under changing climatic conditions.