Final answer:
Mendel's use of pea plants enabled him to control breeding experiments and observe the inheritance of traits. Performing cross-pollination allowed the generation of hybrid offspring with diverse genetic combinations, confirming hereditary principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pea plants' ability to self-fertilize or cross-pollinate was ideal for Mendelian genetics studies because it allowed Mendel to carefully control and observe genetic traits. Self-pollination in pea plants ensures that offspring are genetically identical to the parent, which is referred to as being true-breeding. To study the inheritance of different traits, Mendel performed cross-pollination manually, by transferring pollen from one plant to another. This method allowed him to produce hybrids and verify the principles of inheritance, as the offspring would display characteristics from both parent plants.
Through meticulous methodology, including removing the anthers to prevent self-pollination, Mendel could generate hybrids by cross-pollinating pea plants. This approach laid the groundwork for understanding heredity and the laws of genetics that now bear his name.