INFECTION OF THEOBROMA-CACAO USING CLONED DNA OF CACAO SWOLLEN SHOOT VIRUS AND PARTICLE BOMBARDMENT

A full-length, monomeric genomic clone of cacao swollen shoot badnavir us was infectious after particle bombardment of cacao seeds from which the testae had been removed. The infected plants showed symptoms typi cal of the severe form of cacao swollen shoot disease. Progeny virus f rom plants infected by bombardment reacted in enzyme-linked immunosorb ent assay and dot blot hybridization and had small bacilliform particl e morphology as observed by immunosorbent electron microscopy. Further more, the complex of symptoms that characterize cacao swollen shoot di sease can be provoked by a single etiologic agent rather than by a mix ture of different viruses or strains. The infectious clone offers new possibilities for the study of swollen shoot disease.