Question

Which cross could be used to determine whether two traits are distributed among offspring independently of each other?

A. A plant that is true-breeding for terminal purple flowers is crossed with a plant that is true-breeding for smooth green pods.
B. A plant that is true-breeding for wrinkled yellow seeds is crossed with a plant that is true-breeding for round green seeds.
C. A plant that is true-breeding for axial flowers is crossed with a plant that is true-breeding for white flowers.
D. A plant that is true-breeding for green pods is crossed with a plant that is heterozygous for green pods.

Answer 1

The cross that could be used to determine whether two traits are distributed among offspring independently of each other is:

B. A plant that is true-breeding for wrinkled yellow seeds is crossed with a plant that is true-breeding for round green seeds.

Step-by-step explanation:

This cross involves two traits: seed texture (wrinkled vs. round) and seed color (yellow vs. green). By crossing two true-breeding plants that differ in both traits, it allows for the examination of the inheritance patterns of each trait separately. If the traits are distributed independently, the resulting offspring should show various combinations of seed texture and color, such as wrinkled yellow, wrinkled green, round yellow, and round green, in approximately equal proportions. This cross allows for the determination of whether the two traits segregate independently or if there is a linkage or interaction between them.