Question

In the given scenario, Plant A and Plant B have the same phenotype. To determine which alleles were linked in the parent plant, we need to know the offspring counts. What is the phenotype of Plant A and Plant B?

1) Red and oval
2) Yellow and long
3) Red and long
4) Yellow and oval

Answer 1

The actual phenotype of Plant A and Plant B cannot be defined without additional information about the dominance of the alleles and the parental genotypes. Phenotypes are the expression of genotypes, which may comprise different allele combinations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The phenotype of Plant A and Plant B cannot be determined from the information provided because the question does not specify which traits are dominant or the parental genotypes. In genetics, the phenotype is the observable traits expressed by an organism, while the genotype is the organism's genetic makeup that dictates these traits.

For instance, Mendel's hybridization experiments highlighted the presence of dominant and recessive alleles. When true-breeding plants with yellow and green pods were cross-fertilized, all the F1 hybrid offspring had yellow pods due to the dominance of the yellow allele. The F1 plants had a heterozygous genotype, with different alleles for the gene being examined, yet the same phenotype as one of the parents due to the expression of the dominant allele.