Final answer:
Mendel confirmed his principle of segregation through hybridizations of true-breeding pea plants, demonstrating that traits are controlled by genes that separate into different gametes, resulting in a predictable 3:1 trait ratio.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mendel verified his principle of segregation by performing hybridizations, which involve mating two true-breeding pea plants with contrasting traits. This meticulous process included manually transferring pollen from the anther of one pea plant to the stigma of another to prevent self-fertilization and ensure accurate results.
His experiments demonstrated that each characteristic is controlled by two factors or genes, which separate and go to different gametes during reproduction, culminating in what is known today as Mendel's law of segregation.
This law explains the equal segregation of alleles into gametes, ensuring that offspring have an equal chance of inheriting either parent's allele for a given trait. The observed 3:1 ratio of dominant to recessive traits in the F2 generation exemplified this principle, and it laid the groundwork for using tools such as the Punnett square to predict genetic outcomes.
Mendel verified his principle of segregation by performing hybridizations, which involve mating two true-breeding individuals that have different traits. In the pea, this is done by manually transferring pollen from one pea plant to the stigma of another pea plant.
By carefully controlling the pollination process, Mendel was able to observe the inheritance of specific traits in the offspring and verify the law of segregation. This law states that paired unit factors (genes) must segregate equally into gametes, ensuring that each offspring has an equal chance of inheriting either factor.