The work of Mendel

• Gregor Mendel was a monk who was alive in the 1800s
• Mendel carried out crosses for height in pea plants
• Results of Mendel's research were published


  1866
• Inherited factors


  Separate factors passed on from each parent that determine characteristics in plants
• Crossing pea plants

  1. Mendel crossed a tall pea plant with a dwarf pea plant

  2. Mendel took two of the tall plants from the first set of offspring and crossed them
• Offspring from crossing pea plants

  • All offspring were tall
  • 75% of the offspring were tall but 25% were dwarf plants
• Tall plants

  Dominant over dwarf plants
• The height characteristic in pea plants was determined by separate inherited factors passed on from each parent
• The ratios of tall and dwarf plants in the offspring showed that the factor for tall plants, I, was dominant over the factor for dwarf plants, t
• Inherited factors are now known as genes
• It wasn't until a long time after Mendel's death that other scientists linked his inherited factors with genes and chromosomes and realised the significance of his work
• Genetic Diagram. 


  This: