Learning Outcome:
Gregor Mendel
Explain how the characteristics of organisms are inherited
Model organisms ( Pisum Sativum)
Self Pollination
Cross pollination
7 traits in garden pea study
Introduction
Mendelian genetics named after Gregor Mendel who is considered the
founder of Mendelian Genetics had a keen interest in how certain
inherited traits are passed down from one generation to another. His
method of trying to understand this involved mathematics and statistics.
The model organism which he used to carry out this experiment is the
garden pea otherwise known as Pisum Sativum. One of the reasons why
Gregor Mendel was successful with his experiment was that he studied
one trait at a time. Finally he published his work in 1866.
Model Organism
Mendel chose the garden pea for good reason. First of all the garden peas’ flower closes
tightly and enforce self-fertilization. This means that the pollen inside the flower will fertilize
the eggs within the flower itself. This characteristic is known as “true breeding”.
True breeding: A kind of breeding wherein the parent organism produces offspring that carry
the same phenotype. This means that the parents are homozygous for every trait.
Phenotype: is an observable trait. For example height and eye colour.