Dihybrid Cross-Inheritance Two Genes and Law of Independent Assortment

Dihybrid Cross-Inheritance Two Genes and Law of Independent Assortment

Dihybrid cross involves the inheritance of two pairs of contrasting characteristics (or contrasting traits) at the same time. The two pairs of contrasting characteristics chosen by Mendel were shape and colour of seeds: round-yellow seeds and wrinkled-green seeds.

1. Mendel crossed pea plants having round-yellow seeds with pea plants having wrinkled-green seeds. Mendel made the following observations: Mendel first crossed pure breeding pea plants having round-yellow seeds with pure breeding pea plants having wrinkled-green seeds and found that only round-yellow seeds were produced in the first generation (F₁). No wrinkled-green seeds were obtained in the F₁ generation. From this it was concluded that round shape and yellow colour of the seeds were dominant traits over the wrinkled shape and green color of the seeds.

2. When the hybrids of F₁ generation pea plants having round-yellow seeds were cross-bred by self pollination, then four types of seeds having different combinations of shape and color were obtained in second generation or F₂ generation. They were round yellow, round-green, wrinkled yellow and wrinkled-green seeds.

The ratio of each phenotype (or appearance) of seeds in the F₂ generation is 9:3:3:1. This is known as the Dihybrid ratio.

From the above results it can be concluded that the factors for each character or trait remain independent and maintain their identity in the gametes. The factors are independent to each other and pass to the offsprings (through gametes).

Results of a Dihybrid Cross:

Mendel got the following results from his dihybrid cross

1. Four Types of Plants: A dihybrid cross produced four types of F₂ offsprings in the ratio of 9 with two dominant traits, 3 with one dominant trait and one recessive trait, 3 with another dominant trait and another recessive trait and 1 with two recessive traits.

2. New Combination: Two new combinations of traits with round green and wrinkled yellow had appeared in the dihybrid cross (F₂ generation).