SummaryCallus of Datura innoxia Mill, was subjected to low temperature and low oxygen (anoxia) in order to determine the optimum conditions of storage. The state of metabolic activity was then determined by measuring growth and the accumulation of tropane alkaloids at 27°C. Calli stored at 10°C and 15°C in darkness for 19 weeks had a survival rate higher than 90%, but their capacity for alkaloid biosynthesis had changed. After an anoxia storage in the dark for 11 weeks, growth of callus was identical to control but tropane alkaloid accumulation occured 2 weeks earlier than the control. Among the various conditions tested, it was found that only anoxic storage in the light for 11 weeks permitted the stability of the alkaloid profile in the callus.