Mendel's Meticulous Breeding: The Foundation of Genetic Research

Why did Mendel spend 2 years obtaining true-breeding strains of peas before starting his genetic research?

A) Mendel wasted time and resources on unnecessary tasks.

B) Mendel's dedication to careful breeding laid the foundation for his experiments.

C) Mendel had a personal interest in gardening.

D) Mendel was unsure about his research direction.

Answer:

Mendel's meticulous efforts in breeding true strains of peas for two years built the groundwork for his consequential experiments in genetics. His commitment to careful breeding led to the identification of basic genetic principles like segregation and independent assortment.

The significance of Mendel spending two years obtaining true-breeding strains of peas before attempting his genetic research lies in the foundational principles of genetics he established. By ensuring his peas were true-breeding, representing traits that could be reliably passed to each successive generation, Mendel was able to conduct controlled experiments to study inheritance. This meant that any changes or observations made during his breeding experiments could be attributed to the genetic rules he was discovering, rather than random variations. His careful method allowed him to deduce the principles of segregation and independent assortment, fundamental concepts in genetics.