Question

In roses, red flowers and long stems are dominant traits. A rose plant that is homozygous for both red flowers and long stems is crossed with a rose plant that is heterozygous for red flowers and homozygous for short stems. What percentage of the offspring will exhibit red, long-stemmed

flowers?

Answer 1

Answer: Percentage of the offspring that will exhibit red, long-stemmed

flowers is 100%.

As per the information in the question, red flowers and long stems are dominant traits whereas short stem is a recessive trait. Dominant trait ( depicted by capital letter allele) is the one that masks the expression of receesive trait ( depicted by small letter allele).

Let us consider the genotypes of parents as-

RRLL (having same alleles, that is homozygous for both red flowers and long stems) and

Rrll ( having different allele for red flowers that is heterozygous for red flowers and homozygous for short stems).

The gametes produced are-

RRLL will produce RL and RL gametes

Rrll will produce Rl, Rl, rl, rl gametes.

When they are allowed to cross, they will produce 100% offspring that will exhibit red, long-stemmed flowers.

Refer punnet square.

Answer 2

The answer is 100%.

This is an example of Mendelian dihybrid cross (a cross between two different traits).
If:
R - (dominant) allele for red flowers
r - (recessive) allele for non-red flowers
S - (dominant) allele for long stems
s - (recessive) allele for short stems.

Then:
RRSS - a rose plant that is homozygous for both red flowers (RR) and long stems (SS)
Rrss - a rose plant that is heterozygous for red flowers (Rr) and homozygous for short stems (ss)

The cross will be like:
Parents: RRSS x Rrss

Since it is not easy to represent all of the offspring, the Punnett square can be used, or we can take a look separately on traits:

I trait:
Parents: RR x Rr
Offspring: RR RR Rr Rr
There are only dominant homozygous (RR) and heterozygous (rr). All of the offspring will have red flowers because the trait is dominant.

II trait:
Parents: SS x ss
Offspring: Ss Ss Ss Ss
There are only heterozygous (Ss). All of the offspring will have long stems the trait is dominant.

When we match these two traits, all of the offspring will have red long stemmed flowers.