Mendel's Law and Tetraploid Irises
- To: Multiple recipients of list <i*@rt66.com>
- Subject: Mendel's Law and Tetraploid Irises
- From: C*@aol.com
- Date: Wed, 8 Jan 1997 12:41:08 -0700 (MST)
In a message dated 97-01-04 16:14:23 EST, you write:
<< The beginning hybridizer should follow the theory
> of Mendel's law, but brace yourself for some really wild surprises along
> the way! >>
The above quote was put on the list from an article in the Region 13
Bulletin. I do think some qualification of this statement is in order. Do
not expect to get Mendel's results when working with tetraploid irises. One
botanist estimated you would have to grow more than 10,000,000 seedlings from
the same cross to get all possible genetic combinations expressed. Mendel's
work, e.g. with peas, was with diploid plants. When you double the number of
chromosomes, you increase geometrically the possibilities of gene expression
in the offspring.
In addition, many of you scientists know, no one has ever been able to
duplicate Mendel's results, and it is fairly certain the good monk fudged his
results. Even tho' he may have doctored his results a bit, his theory was
correct. But don't expect to get Mendel's results with tetraploids.
Clarence Mahan in VA
