Question

What was the most significant conclusion that Mendel drew from the experiments he conducted on pea plants?

• A. There is a considerable amount of variation seen in pea plant hybridisation results
• B. Factors are inherited as discrete units and do not show blending
• C. Genes are found on chromosomes
• D. Behaviour of chromosomes is parallel to behaviour of genes

Answer 1

The correct option is B Factors are inherited as discrete units and do not show blending

Mendel’s most significant conclusion that he drew from his experiments he conducted on pea plants is that factors are inherited as discrete units and do not show any blending.

Pea plants he used for the experiment was good choice as it had clear contrasting traits, bisexual flowers, short life span and not much variation is seen in the results of crosses. The phenotypic and genotypic ratios for all the monohybrid and dihybrid crosses that he considered were identical.

Though it is now discovered that genes are segments of DNA found on chromosomes, Mendel was not aware of what genes (Mendelian factors) were composed of.

With the help of microscope, the study of behaviour of chromosomes was conducted by Sutton and Boveri. They later compared it with the behaviour of factors or genes.