Question

When a pure strain of tall plants with round peas is crossed with a pure strain of short plants with wrinkled peas, an F₁ generation is produced. When these F₁ plants self-pollinate, ______ proportion of the F₂ generation is short with wrinkled peas.

Answer 1

When a pure strain of tall plants with round peas is crossed with a pure strain of short plants with wrinkled peas, an F₁ generation is produced. When these F₁ plants self-pollinate, 1/16 proportion of the F₂ generation is short with wrinkled peas.

Explanation:

This is because each trait (height and pea shape) is inherited independently according to Mendel’s law of independent assortment. Both traits are controlled by two genes with dominant and recessive alleles, and the recessive phenotype (short, wrinkled) appears only when the corresponding alleles are homozygous recessive. Hence, the combined probability is 1/4 (short) × 1/4 (wrinkled) = 1/16 in the F₂ generation.