The letters inside each box of a Punnett square indicate possible combinations of alleles in offspring based on the parents' genetic makeup.
A Punnett square is a visual representation used in genetics to predict the potential outcomes of offspring based on the genetic makeup of their parents. Each box in the square represents a possible combination of alleles that the offspring might inherit. Alleles are alternative forms of a gene that determine specific traits.
In this case, the gardener is interested in breeding tulips with either red flowers (allele R) or white flowers (allele r). The Punnett square allows the gardener to explore the various genetic combinations resulting from the parental alleles, providing insights into the potential traits of the tulip offspring. It's a helpful tool for understanding and predicting the inheritance patterns of specific traits in a breeding program.