Dominant and Recessive Alleles
In genetics, alleles are different forms of a gene that can exist at a specific locus on a chromosome. Dominant alleles, represented by uppercase letters (e.g., T, P, R), mask the expression of recessive alleles, represented by lowercase letters (e.g., t, p, r). In the context of the question, the dominant alleles determine the observable traits (phenotypes) in the plants, while the recessive alleles only manifest when two copies are present.
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Linkage and Recombination
Linkage refers to the tendency of genes located close to each other on the same chromosome to be inherited together during meiosis. Recombination occurs when homologous chromosomes exchange genetic material during meiosis, leading to new allele combinations. The recombination frequency provides insight into the distance between linked genes; closer genes have lower recombination frequencies, which is crucial for predicting the phenotypes of the test-cross progeny.
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Test Cross
A test cross is a breeding experiment used to determine the genotype of an individual exhibiting a dominant phenotype. This is achieved by crossing the individual with a homozygous recessive individual for the traits in question. The resulting offspring's phenotypes reveal the unknown genotype based on the ratio of dominant to recessive traits observed, which is essential for predicting the expected phenotypes and their frequencies in the progeny described in the question.
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