In the F1 progeny resulting from the cross of pea plants with different characteristics, Mendel observed that there were no halfway characteristics. For example, if a tall plant and a short plant were crossed, all plants in the F1 generation were tall, and there were no medium-height plants.
What was Mendel’s observation regarding the first-generation, or F1 progeny, when he crossed pea plants with different characteristics, such as tall and short plants?
Share
When Mendel crossed pea plants with different characteristics, such as tall and short plants, he observed that the first-generation, or F1 progeny, were all tall. The tall trait dominated over the short trait in this generation. Mendel’s observation led to the formulation of the principle of dominance, suggesting that one allele (in this case, for tallness) masked the expression of the other (for shortness) in the heterozygous condition. This key finding contributed to Mendel’s understanding of the laws of inheritance, demonstrating the presence of dominant and recessive alleles and the predictable patterns of trait transmission.