Gregor Mendel (1822 – 1884) 7th Grade Heredity GLE 0707.4.4 √ 0707.4.5 SPI 0707.4.4

FATHER OF GENETICS

Gregor Mendel Born on July 22, 1822 in Heizendorf, Austria Educated in Math and Science at the University of Vienna Entered monastery in 1853 as a gardener Began experimenting with peas in 1856 Tested over 28,000 pea plants Not widely accepted until 1900

Mendel’s Observations

Purebred Plants

Cross Pollination

Purple Flowers

Traits Studied Trait Offspring Produced Missing Trait Seed Shape Round Wrinkled Seed Color Yellow Green Pod Color Pod Shape Full Flat Plant Height Tall Short Flower Position At junctions At tips of branches Flower Color Purple White

Where did the missing traits go? Did they just go away?

NO! Each missing trait is covered up. These traits are recessive. The traits that appears in the offspring are dominant. If a dominant trait is present it will always cover up a recessive trait. Only when there is no dominant trait present will the recessive trait appear in the offspring.

F2 Generation Crossed two hybrid plants (F1) Produced three purple flowering plants and one white flowering plant The white flowering plant was absent of any dominant allele (recessive) The purple flowering plants had at least one dominant allele

Mendel died in 1884 Not widely accepted until 1900 At that time, three different scientist came to the same conclusion as Mendel Since that time Mendel has been known as the Father of Genetics