Table 1 Germination and seedling emergence of Quercus robur seeds desiccated in acorns for up to 29 days (non-frozen)—control and seeds desiccated and then frozen for 2 weeks at − 3°, − 5°, − 7°, − 9°, − 11° or − 13 °C (seed lot A) and at − 3°, − 10° or − 18 °C (seed lot B). One-way ANOVA; means marked with the same letter are not significantly different at p < 0.05 according to Tukey’s test. Means±SEs.Acorns moisture content in % of fresh weight. Full model results can be found in Appendix Table 4

Seed lot A

0 (37.7)

98±1.11 a

93±3.85 a

92±2.22 a

40±5.77 b

19±4.01 c

-

2±1.11 c

2±1.11 b

-

2 (36.5)

96±2.22 a

98±1.11 a

100±0 a

90±1.92 a

70±5.09 a

-

19±4.44 b

4±2.94 b

-

9 (34.1)

91±2.94 a

97±1.92 a

94±2.94 a

91±2.94 a

80±10.72 a

-

28±2.94 ab

13±5.09 ab

-

15 (32.9)

93±3.33 a

86±2.22 ab

89±4.01 a

82±4.01 a

74±4.01a

-

41±4.84 a

21±2.22 ab

-

23 (31.0)

76±8.01 ab

76±2.94 b

63±5.09 b

57±1.92 b

53±3.33 ab

-

34±1.11 ab

27±6.67 a

-

29 (29.8)

56±7.78 b

41±1.11 c

51±6.76 b

50±1.92 b

28±4.01 bc

-

23±5.77 ab

16±4.01 ab

-

0 (37.7)

93±1.92 a

91±2.94 a

89±2.22 a

36±4.01 c

17±1.92 b

-

2±1.11 c

1±1.11 a

-

2 (36.5)

87±3.85 ab

96±2.94 a

100±0 a

86±2.22 a

67±5.09 a

-

16±4.44 bc

4±2.94 a

-

9 (34.1)

867±3.85 ab

91±4.01 a

83±3.85 a

79±5.88 ab

74±10.94 a

-

23±5.09 ab

11±4.84 a

-

15 (32.9)

89±1.11 a

63±3.33 b

79±4.01 a

64±7.29 b

58±2.22 a

-

34±4.01 a

12±2.22 a

-

23 (31.0)

64±8.89 b

54±1.11 b

44±4.01 b

34±4.01 c

29±4.84 b

-

17±1.92 abc

14±4.84 a

-

29 (29.8)

31±7.78 c

22±4.84 c

28±2.94 b

29±4.01 c

13±3.33 b

-

7±1.92 c

2±1.11 a

-

Seed lot B

0 (40.8)

96±2.31 a

88±2.83 ab

-

-

-

6±3.46 b

-

-

0

1(38.2)

92±4.90 ab

91±1.00 a

-

-

-

48±2.83 a

-

-

0

5(38.8)

89±3.00 abc

84±4.00 abc

-

-

-

65±3.42 a

-

-

0

7(35.7)

93±1.91 ab

78±4.2 abcd

-

-

-

62±6.00 a

-

-

0

11(32.7)

76±1.63 bcd

73±7.2 bcde

-

-

-

65±3.42 a

-

-

0

14(31.1)

75±4.43 bcd

67±3.42 cde

-

-

-

52±5.42 a

-

-

0

18(32.6)

73±3.42 bcd

57±6.61 def

-

-

-

50±7.39 a

-

-

0

23(28.7)

68±9.09 cd

54±5.29 ef

-

-

-

47±5.97 a

-

-

0

29(24.3)

53±3.00 d

41±1.91 f

-

-

-

13±7.55 b

-

-

0

0 (40.8)

90±2.00 a

85±1.91 a

-

-

-

6±3.46 b

-

-

0

1(38.2)

87±5.51 ab

88±2.83 a

-

-

-

46±3.46 a

-

-

0

5(38.8)

86±4.16 ab

81±3.79 ab

-

-

-

61±2.52 a

-

-

0

7(35.7)

85±5.74 ab

74±5.77 ab

-

-

-

56±5.16 a

-

-

0

11(32.7)

72±1.63 abc

65±5.26 bc

-

-

-

62±2.58 a

-

-

0

14(31.1)

70±2.00 abc

62±3.46 bc

-

-

-

47±5.26 a

-

-

0

18(32.6)

66±4.16 bc

50±3.46 cd

-

-

-

45±7.90 a

-

-

0

23(28.7)

61±8.06 c

52±5.66 cd

-

-

-

40±4.32 a

-

-

0

29(24.3)

49±4.12 c

38±2.58 d

-

-

-

8±4.90 b

-

-

0