topic mendel’s work:

Write 6 pages thesis on the topic mendel’s work: experiments on plant hybridization. Mendel had spent numerous years in studying the genetic traits of garden peas through careful observation and comparison of the following seven discrete qualitative traits: smoothness of the seeds. the color of the seeds. the color of the seed coats. the shape of the pods. the color of unripe pods. a position of flowers. and length of the stems.

One of Mendel’s observations was the invariable difference of one heritable trait to one another, either as dominant or recessive. Nowadays, a dominant trait refers to those traits that are clearly manifested physically (phenotype) in a heterozygous genotype (needs only one copy of the gene from either parent for the trait to manifest, i.e. Aa) while recessive traits are manifested physically in a homogenous genotype (needs two copies of the gene from both parents for the trait to manifest, i.e. aa). In his breeding experiments, Mendel would cross-pollinate (also referred to as hybridization) purebred garden peas of different traits such as a violet flower versus a white flower, full pod versus constricted pod, and the like (Wikipedia, 2006). He made several experiments on varying crosses such as monohybrid, dihybrid, and trihybrid.

Monohybrid crosses are being done by mating two garden pea plants with only a single trait (homozygotes for tall stem) or true breeding of peas with opposing traits. Abbreviated as Aa x Aa, monohybrid crosses for round seeds versus wrinkled seeds (called the Parental generation or P generation) had resulted in dominant trait for round seeds. About 100% of tall-stemmed peas are also produced when it is crossed with short-stemmed peas. The crosses of the P generation are called F1 generation (or first filial generation) or commonly referred to as offspring. On the other hand, F2 generation offspring&nbsp.are produced when the F1 generation offspring are selfed (selfing) or crossed among one another.