Answer to Question #64343 in Genetics for Amarjit Singh

Question

How did Mendel confirm the Law of Segregation?

Answer 1

Mendel confirmed the law of segregation by studying the phenotypes of the first and the second generations in a monohybrid cross. The parental plants had green and yellow pods. When they were crossed, all the offspring in the first generation had green pods. However, in the second generation, the green pods reappeared again. It means that the factor for green pods was passed through the generations. Thus, each plant in the first generation obtained a copy of factor from plant with yellow pods, and a copy of factor from plant with green pods. When the plants of the second generations were formed, the two factor were inherited independently. In other words, they segregated. The same observations were made for several other traits. The obtained results were the same, and they allowed Mendel formulating the law of segregation.