CHLOROPLAST AND MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA DIVERSITY IN THEOBROMA-CACAO

The variability of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) cytoplasmic genomes has bee n investigated. A total of 177 cocoa clones was surveyed for restricti on fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in chloroplast DNA and in mitoc hondrial DNA using two restriction endonucleases and various heterolog ous cytoplasmic probes. A high level of polymorphism was found for the mitochondrial genome. This study points up a structuring of the speci es that fits with the distinction between the Criollo and Forastero po pulations. In contrast to all previous analyses, a higher level of pol ymorphism is found among the Criollo clones while the Forastero clones form quite a homogeneous group.