Question

Why did Mendel choose garden pea for his experiments?

Answer 1

Mendel selected garden pea for his experiments due to the following reasons:
(i) The plant is neither too big nor too small, i.e. it can be easily handled.
(ii) It has many contrasting characters.
(iii) Pea flowers are cleistogamous (remain enclosed).
(iv) In pea flowers, self and cross-pollination both may be affected.
(v) A large number of progeny is produced after single cross.
(vi) Cycle is short.
(vii) Flowers are bisexual and homogamous.
(viii) It has less number of chromosomes.
(ix) Garden pea plant does not show incomplete dominance.
(x) Experiments may be conducted in simple laboratory conditions.