The inability to transmit progeny virus resulting from the cloned components of an isolate of African cassava mosaic virus originating from Kenya (ACMV-K) has been shown to be due to defects in both genomic components. This was achieved by the production of infectious pseudorecombinants between ACMV-K and the cloned components of a whitefly-transmissible ACMV isolate originating from Nigeria (ACMV-NOg). The exchange of gene fragments between ACMV-K and ACMV-NOg has been used to demonstrate that the defects responsible for lack of transmissibility reside on the coat protein and DNA B C1 gene of ACMV-K. The significance of these finding with respect to the present understanding of the function of these gene products are discussed.