Detection of the Cadang-Cadang Associated RNA in African Oil Palm and Buri Palm

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Abstract
A low MW RNA with the same apparent electrophoretic mobility in 3.3% polyacrylamide gels as the diagnostic viroid-like RNA associated with the cadang-cadang disease of coconut (ccRNA-l) was detected in the African oil palm (E. guineensis Jacq.) and buri palm (C. elata Roxb.). Palms with the RNA displayed cadang-cadang-like symptoms in the field and came from within the area of distribution of the disease. A 3H-labeled DNA probe complementary to ccRNA-1 was used to show that these 2 spp. contained a low MW RNA, apparently with a nucleotide sequence the same as that of ccRNA-1. African oil palm and buri palm are therefore obviously infected hosts of cadang-cadang disease. These techniques failed to detect ccRNA-1 in specimens of 3 other palm species.