Question

A hydrangea plant has blue flowers when grown in acidic soil, but has pink flowers when grown in basic soil. A clone of the pink-flowered plant is grown in acidic soil and produces blue flowers. This change in flower color is most likely due to:

A. sexual reproduction in the plants, resulting in variation
B. asexual reproduction in the plants, resulting in variation
C. genes being expressed in different ways due to environmental conditions
D. a gene mutation that occurred after the clone was produced

Answer 1

C) is the correct option

Step-by-step explanation:

The change observed in flower color is most likely due to genes being expressed in different ways due to environmental conditions

• Genes control a particular trait or characteristic in an organism or plant
• In the given plant (Hydrangea), it has blue flowers when grown in acidic soil and has pink flowers when grown in basic soil but the clone of pink flowered plant grown in acidic soil produces blue flowers
• Here, acidic and basic soils are the external environmental conditions and difference in flower color is decided by the type of soil in which plant is grown