Concept: Genetics is the study of heredity and variation in living organisms. The basic principles of inheritance were first explained by Gregor Mendel through experiments on pea plants. His laws form the foundation of modern genetics.
Father of Genetics: Gregor Mendel (1822β1884), an Austrian monk and scientist, is called the Father of Genetics. He performed hybridization experiments on pea plants and proposed fundamental laws of inheritance based on statistical analysis of traits.
Mendelβs Law of Segregation: This is also known as the Law of Purity of Gametes. Statement: During the formation of gametes, the two alleles of a gene separate (segregate) from each other so that each gamete receives only one allele.
Explanation:
Each organism has two alleles for a trait (one from each parent).
These alleles remain together in the organism but separate during gamete formation (meiosis).
As a result, gametes carry only one allele.
Fusion of gametes during fertilization restores the pair of alleles.
Example (Monohybrid Cross): Consider tall ( ) dominant over dwarf ( ) in pea plants.
Parent genotype:
Gametes formed: and
Each gamete carries only one allele, demonstrating segregation.