title: Chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA diversity in Theobroma cacao.
abstract: The variability of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) cytoplasmic genomes has been investigated. A total of 177 cocoa clones was surveyed for restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in chloroplast DNA and in mitochondrial DNA using two restriction endonucleases and various heterologous cytoplasmic probes. A high level of polymorphism was found for the mitochondrial genome. This study points up a structuring of the species that fits with the distinction between the Criollo and Forastero populations. In contrast to all previous analyses, a higher level of polymorphism is found among the Criollo clones while the Forastero clones form quite a homogeneous group.
authors.affiliation: CIRAD-CP, BIOTROP, BP5035, 34032, Montpellier cedex, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Laurent
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Risterucci
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lanaud