Gregor Mendel determined that the offspring in crosses between plants with two heterozygous traits resulted in a 9:3:3:1 ratio, as shown in the table. The largest number of offspring expressed both dominant traits, while the fewest number of offspring expressed both recessive traits. Mendel concluded that different traits are inherited independently from each other.
William Bateson and his colleagues designed a similar experiment using heterozygous pea plants. Bateson crossed plants that were heterozygous for flower color and pollen shape. These experiments resulted in numbers of offspring that did not match Mendel's 9:3:3:1 ratio. The number and appearance of the offspring are shown in the table. Bateson concluded that some traits are not inherited independently.
How do the results of Bateson's experiment affect the interpretation of Mendel's experimental results?
The correct answer is: Bateson's experimental results show that Mendel's conclusions were incomplete.
Bateson's results deviate from Mendel's 9:3:3:1 ratio, indicating that some traits are not inherited independently as Mendel concluded. This doesn't invalidate Mendel's work entirely, but rather reveals that genetic inheritance is more complex than initially thought. Bateson's findings suggest that Mendel's principle of independent assortment doesn't apply universally, thus showing Mendel's conclusions were incomplete rather than incorrect.
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