Final answer:
Mendel determined whether plants in the F0 generation were homozygous tall (TT) or heterozygous tall (Tt) by self-fertilizing the plants. Self-fertilization helps determine the genotype of the plants. Homozygous individuals have identical offspring, while heterozygotes produce varied offspring.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mendel determined whether plants in the F0 generation were homozygous tall (TT) or heterozygous tall (Tt) by self-fertilizing the plants. This process is known as self-fertilization or self-crossing, where plants with the same genotype are bred together. By self-crossing the plants and observing the traits exhibited in the offspring, Mendel was able to determine the genotype of the F0 generation.
Significance of Self-Fertilization
The significance of self-fertilization in determining genotype is that homozygous individuals have identical offspring. When homozygous plants self-fertilize, they produce offspring with the same genotype. On the other hand, heterozygotes produce varied offspring because they have two different alleles for the gene being studied. This variation in offspring helps distinguish heterozygous individuals from homozygous individuals when studying inheritance patterns.