Question

Mendel was not able to say anything about recombination and crossing over because

• A. He did not have a large strong microscope.
• B. He chose only pure types.
• C. Traits he selected were not linked and present on different chromosomes or were far apart.
• D. Traits he chose had no genes.

Answer 1

The correct option is C Traits he selected were not linked and present on different chromosomes or were far apart.

• Mendel analyzed the pattern of inheritance of seven pairs of contrasting traits in the domestic pea plant.
• He did this by cross - breeding dihybrids; that is, plants that were heterozygous for the alleles controlling two different traits.
• With the rebirth of genetics in the 20th century, it quickly became apparent that Mendel's second rule does not apply to many matings of dihybrids. In many cases, two alleles inherited from one parent show a strong tendency to stay together, as do those from the other parent. This phenomenon is called linkage.
• Mendel was not able to say anything about recombination and crossing over because the traits he chooses were not linked and were present on different chromosomes or were far apart on the same chromosome.
  

So the correct answer is option C.