Final answer:
Gregor Mendel significantly contributed to the foundations of transmission genetics through his experiments with pea plants, showcasing dominant and recessive inheritance patterns and laying the groundwork for what is now known as Mendelian genetics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The scientist who significantly contributed to the foundations of transmission genetics is Gregor Mendel. He is often referred to as the father of genetics for his pioneering work on inheritance patterns in pea plants. Mendel's research, conducted in the mid-1800s, revealed that traits are passed down from parents to offspring in dominant and recessive patterns. These discoveries were based on methodical experiments with large sample sizes, which allowed him to formulate the fundamental principles now known as Mendelian genetics.
Mendel's studies involved crossing pea plants with distinct characteristics, such as tall and dwarf varieties, and observing the traits in the resulting generations. His findings showed that traits are inherited in a discrete, predictable manner, laying the groundwork for the modern understanding of genetics, before the actual concept of genes and chromosomes was established. His work, particularly pubished in Experiments in Plant Hybridization, has become a vital part of biological education and serves as the starting point for the study of classical genetics.