Question

In Pisum sativum, _____ form of seed is dominant character
A) Wrinkled
B) Round
C) Light
D) All of the above

Answer 1

Pisum sativum whose common name is pea is a very common annual plant that is grown in many places of the world and mostly during the cool seasons.

Complete answer:
Gregor Johann Mendel who is famous for his work on laws of inheritance had selected pea plants to carry out his experiments. He had many reasons to select pea plants which were- pea being an annual plant was easy to grow for many generations, they had traits that could be easily observed, they could undergo self pollination as well as cross pollination and they were capable of producing pure breeds. Mendel carried out his experiments with seven different observable characters of pea plant. These were seed shape, seed colour, flower colour, pod colour, pod shape, flower position and stem height. He found that some traits overshadowed other traits following which he coined the terms ‘dominant’ and ‘ recessive’. The dominant trait is the which masks the effect of the other trait and recessive is the trait which is expressed only in the absence of the dominant trait. Each of the seven characters had observable dominant and recessive traits. For seed form the dominant trait is round whereas the recessive is wrinkled.

Hence the correct answer is option (B) Round.

Note: Mendel carried out these experiments for several years after which he formulated the three laws of inheritance- law of dominance, law of segregation and law of independent assortment that forms the basis of genetics even today.