Why was Pea Plant Selected for Mendel’s Experiments?
Mendel selected the pea plant (Pisum sativum) because of the following reasons:
- Many varieties were available with observable alternative forms for a trait or characteristics.
- Peas are normally self-pollinated; as their corolla completely encloses the reproductive organs until pollination is completed. But cross-pollination also be done.
- Peas are easily available.
- Peas have contrasting characters. The trait was seed color, pod color, pod shape, flower shape, the position of the flower, seed shape, and plant height.
- Its life cycle was short and produced a large number of offspring.
- The plant is grown easily annually plant and does not require care except at the time of pollination.
Monohybrid Cross
It is a cross in which only one character is considered at a time, e.g. in a cross between a tall and dwarf plant, the size of the stem is considered. Mendel made a cross between a pure tall (TT) and a pure dwarf (tt) pea plant. He obtained all tall (hybrid) plants in the F1 generation. On self, these plants produced tall and dwarf in the ratio 3:1 The genotypic ratio of 1:2:1 and the phenotypic ratio of 3:1 is termed the monohybrid ratio. It is a single cross between two organisms of a species that is made to study the inheritance of single pairs of genes or factors. Monohybrid cross helps to study the principle of dominance given by Mendel.
Dihybrid Cross
It is a cross between two individuals taking two contrasting traits at a time. It helps to study the inheritance of two pairs of alleles. The genotypic ratio in the F2 generation is 1:2:2:4:1:2:1:2:1 and the phenotypic ratio in the F2 generation is 9:3:3:1 This cross helps to study the principle of Independent assortment given by Mendel. For example – the cross between pea plants having yellow wrinkled seeds with those having green round seeds is a dihybrid cross.
Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance | Mendel’s Experiments
Mendel’s law of inheritance states that offspring inherited from their parents that results in similar characteristics of parents and offspring. This law of inheritance depends upon three other laws including the law of dominance, the law of segregation, law of independent assortment. Gregor Mendel was an Austrian monk who conducted groundbreaking experiments on pea plants in the mid-1800s. Mendel’s experiments focused on the inheritance of certain traits, such as seed color, pod shape, and flower color, and he discovered that these traits are passed down predictably.
In this article, we will learn about Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance, the Characteristics of Mendel experiments, and the Conclusion of the experiments.
Table of Content
- Mendel’s Law of Inheritance
- What are Mendel’s Experiments?
- Characteristics of Mendel experiments
- Why was Pea Plant Selected for Mendel’s Experiments?
- Conclusion of Mendel’s Experiments
- Key Points of Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance
- Modern Applications of Mendel’s Laws of Inheritance
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