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Signi cance of Mendel’s Experiments
In the mid 1800s, Gregor Mendel performed pea
plant experiments to learn about heredity and traits.
These experiments laid a foundation for our modern
understanding of genetics.
Why Use the Pea Plant?
Mendel used the garden pea plant for breeding
experiments because it had easy to recognize traits and
reproduced quickly. The pea plant could also produce
offspring using self-pollination or cross-pollination.
self-pollination cross pollination
self-pollination cross-pollination
Pea Plant Traits
Pea Plant Characteristics
seed pod ower Two Forms of
shape color color plant height
Pea Plant
Characteristics
Mendel initially
focused on the in-
heritance of single
characteristics that
only occurred in two
different forms. For
example, pea plants
were either tall
or short.
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