Principles of Inheritance and Variation Question 38
38. Which one of the following cannot be explained on the basis of Mendel’s Law of Dominance?
[2010]
(a) The discrete unit controlling a particular character is called a factor
(b) Out of one pair of factors one is dominant, and the other recessive
(c) Alleles do not show any blending and both the characters recover as such in $F_2$ generation.
(d) Factors occur in pairs
Show Answer
Answer : c
Hints & Solution
(c) According to Mendel’s law of dominance, out of two contrasting allelomorphic factors only one expresses itself in an individual. The factor that expresses itself is called dominant while the other which has not shown its effect in the heterozygous individual is termed as recessive. The option (c) in the given question cannot be explained on the basis of law of dominance. It can only be explained on the basis of Mendel’s law of independent assortment, according to which in a dihybrid cross, the two alleles of each character assort independently of the alleles of other character and separate at the time of gamete formation.
