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Gregor Mendel investigated the genetics of peas - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 4 - 2016 - Paper 1
Question 4
Gregor Mendel investigated the genetics of peas. He did not know about genes but showed that inherited characteristics can be dominant or recessive. (a) Explain how... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Gregor Mendel investigated the genetics of peas - Edexcel - GCSE Biology - Question 4 - 2016 - Paper 1
Step 1
Explain how Mendel used homozygous tall and homozygous short pea plants to show that the tall allele is dominant to the short allele.
Answer
Mendel crossed homozygous tall pea plants with homozygous short pea plants. The offspring from this cross were all tall, indicating that the trait for tallness is dominant. This shows that the tall allele masks the expression of the short allele in the hybrid offspring, leading to the conclusion that the tall allele is dominant.
Step 2
Explain why asexual reproduction in strawberries is beneficial to strawberry farmers.
Answer
Asexual reproduction in strawberries is beneficial because it allows for rapid production of new plants without the need for pollination. This enables farmers to quickly increase their crop yield and ensure consistency in the quality of strawberries, as all offspring are genetically identical to the parent plant.
Step 3
Explain why seed production is an advantage to the strawberry plant.
Answer
Seed production after fertilisation provides the strawberry plant with a means of genetic diversity through sexual reproduction. This variability allows for natural selection, promoting the survival of fitter plants and increasing the chances of population resilience against diseases and environmental changes.