Question

How did Mendel explain that it is possible that a trait is inherited but not expressed in an organism?

Answer 1

A trait is inherited but it may not be expressed in an organism. When two parents come together, a new generation is produced. One is a dominant trait and the other is a recessive trait. The recessive trait doesn't express itself when the dominant trait is present. So, it is possible that one trait may be inherited but it will not be expressed in the organism.

In Mendel’s experiment, when pure tall pea plants are crossed with pure dwarf pea plants, only tall pea plants are produced in the F1 generation.

On selfing the pea plants of the F1 generation, we get both tall and dwarf pea plants in the F2 generation.

The reappearance of the dwarf pea plants in the F2 generation proves that the dwarf trait was inherited by the organism but not expressed in the F1 generation.