Comparison of droplet-vitrification and D-cryoplate for cryopreservation of date palm ( Phoenix dactylifera L.) polyembryonic masses

•Polyembryonic masses of two date palm varieties were cryopreserved.•Droplet-vitrification (DV) led to 85.6–98.6% recovery after cryopreservation.•With DV, sucrose preculture slightly reduced recovery after liquid nitrogen exposure.•V cryo-plate produced 67.0–95.8% recovery after cryopreservation.•With V cryo-plate, sucrose preculture increased recovery after cryopreservation.