Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Genotype vs. Phenotype
The genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, represented by the alleles it possesses, while the phenotype is the observable physical or biochemical characteristics resulting from the genotype. In this question, understanding the difference is crucial for determining the phenotypes based on the given genotypes of the pea plants.
Recommended video:
Dominant and Recessive Alleles
In genetics, alleles can be dominant or recessive. A dominant allele masks the effect of a recessive allele in a heterozygous genotype. For example, in the R gene controlling seed shape, the R allele (round) is dominant over the r allele (wrinkled), which influences the phenotype of the offspring when determining their traits.
Recommended video:
Punnett Square
A Punnett square is a diagram used to predict the genotypes and phenotypes of offspring from a genetic cross. By organizing the alleles from each parent, it allows for a visual representation of potential combinations, making it easier to determine the resulting phenotypes of the plants in the given cross.
Recommended video: