Long-term preservation of fungal strains is essential for detail study. The methods used in our laboratory for maintaining culture collections of fungi, i.e. storage in culture tubes and lyophilization (freeze drying), were assessed for long term preservation. Twenty six fungal species belonging to eight genera were tested. After 1, 2, and 3 months of preservation of fungal cultures, survival rates associated with slants storage and lyophilization were evaluated. The viability of fungi was tested on Malt Extract Agar (MEA) medium. All of the lyophilized fungal species were recovered each time from temperature range i.e. 4^oC and room temperature, showed the initial colony characteristics and growth rates. It was concluded that lyophilization is simple, inexpensive and reliable method as compared to slant culture method. Moreover, this method is first time used for fungal preservation in First Fungal Culture Bank of Pakistan (FCBP), Institute of Plant Pathology, University of the Punjab, Lahore Pakistan.

Key words: Fungal preservation, lyophilization, slant culture.