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Name two pea plant traits studied by Gregor Mendel. Define genotype AND phenotype. Why would a pea plant that is heterozygous for plant height have the dominant phenotype? What is the difference between a Mendelian trait and a polygenic trait? Why are females more likely to be carriers for color blindness than to be color blind themselves?

User Shushu
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Two pea plant traits studied by Gregor Mendel are plant height and flower color.

Genotype refers to the genetic makeup of an organism, represented by the combination of alleles it possesses. Phenotype, on the other hand, refers to the observable traits or characteristics of an organism that result from the interaction between its genotype and the environment.

A pea plant that is heterozygous for plant height has the dominant phenotype because the dominant allele for tall height (T) masks the expression of the recessive allele for short height (t). Therefore, even though the plant has one dominant and one recessive allele, the dominant allele determines the plant's phenotype.

A Mendelian trait is a trait that is controlled by a single gene with two alleles, and its inheritance follows Mendel's laws of inheritance. On the other hand, a polygenic trait is a trait that is controlled by multiple genes, and its inheritance is more complex and influenced by the interaction of multiple genetic and environmental factors.

Females are more likely to be carriers for color blindness than to be color blind themselves because color blindness is an X-linked recessive trait. Females have two X chromosomes, so they can be carriers if they have one normal allele and one recessive allele. Males, on the other hand, have one X and one Y chromosome, so if they inherit the recessive allele, they will be color blind.

User Ghassen Rjab
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