Techniques such as minimal in tissue culture and cryopreservation [in liquid N2] have been used to store plant materials form a wide variety of species [kartha,1985;Withers,1987] These techniques are particularly important for plant species that are vegetatively propagated since they reduce the labour associated with maintaning a line as well as the risk of losing the material to disease. international exchange of germplasm is also facilitated because of the disease-free nature of plant materials in culture.