If Mendel's crosses between spherical-seeded tall plants and wrinkled-seeded short plants had produced many more than ¹/₁₆ wrinkled-seeded short plants in the F₂ generation, he might have concluded that A) the spherical seed and tall traits are linked. B) the wrinkled seed and short traits are unlinked. C) all traits in peas assort independently. D) all traits in peas are linked. E) None of the above

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If Mendel had seen many more wrinkled-seed short plants in the F1 generation, it would have suggested that the spherical seed and tall traits are linked. This is because he would have expected a 9:3:3:1 ratio of the four possible combinations of traits (spherical-tall, spherical-short, wrinkled-tall, wrinkled-short), but instead would have seen mostly one of the combinations (wrinkled-short). This would indicate that the two traits (spherical seed and tall) are usually inherited together and are located on the same chromosome.

If Mendel's Crosses Between Spherical-Seeded Tall Plants and Wrinkled-Seeded Short