Low temperatures (15ºC-20ºC) were observed to inhibit the growth and multiplication of oil palm polyembryogenic (PE) cultures. These conditions enable PE cultures to be kept for at least six months without subculturing. The method can, therefore be exploited for minimal growth storage of in vitro cultures. Proline, which is known to be a universal stress indicator, was found to accumulate in the cultures under low temperature stress and the increase was about two-fold during 30 days of exposure. In the presence of 0.5 M sucrose, low temperature storage of cultures could be extended even to nine months.