A preliminary investigation on freeze preservation of sugarcane cell cultures indicated that sugarcane cultures frozen at a rate of l°C/min to —100.C after treating with 10% (v/v) glycerol +5% (v/v> dimcthylsulfoxide (DMSO), and thawed in a water bath at 37.C, yielded up to 30% viable cells. 10% glycerol was found to be more effective cryoprotectant for sugarcane cells than 5% DMSO. Rapid thawing in a water bath at 37.C gave the highest viability of sugarcane cells recovered following freezing. Frozen sugarcane cells stored in the liquid nitrogen refrigerator, up to 4 months, indicate that no decrease in cell viability was observed after thawing as compared with control.