Papaya (Carica papaya L.) seeds were tested for desiccation tolerance. diferent conservation environments and package tips. They were dessicated to 4,5% of moisture content, without loss of viability, and were packaged in hermetic cans, heat sealed aluminium foil bags and paper bags, and then maintained for two years in three different environments: Iaboratory temperature, 5°C and 30 relative humidity and -18°C without air relative humidity control. The seeds showed sensibility to low temperatures (-18°C) in the germination tests, which were carried out at six months intervals during two years. This sensibility increases as temperature is reducad. Paper bags were suitable for storage at laboratory temperature. Papaya seeds with 9.8 to 5,3% of moisture content, wrapped in aluminium foil bags, were immersed in liquid nitrogen or mantained in nitrogen vapour for 48 hours and thawed slolwly at -20°C or quickly in water at 40°C. The fast thawing process led to 64% loss in seed viability. The treatments involving slow thawing process preserved the viability, showing the potential of cryopreservation for the storage of desiccated papaya seeds.