Genetics

Genetics is defined as the study of genes through their variation or the study of inheritance. It is the branch of biology that deals with heredity, especially the mechanisms of hereditary transmission and the variation of inherited characteristics among similar or related organisms. For thousands of years farmers and herders have been selectively breeding their plants and animals in order to produce more productive hybrids. It was somewhat of a hit or miss process since …

…focus of his research because they can be grown easily in large numbers and their reproduction can be manipulated. Pea plants have both male and female reproductive organs. As a result, they can either self-pollinate themselves or cross-pollinate with another plant. In his experiments, Mendel was able to selectively cross-pollinate purebred plants with particular traits and observe the outcome over many generations. This was the basis for his conclusions about the nature of genetic inheritance.