Mendel's principles of heredity: A defence — John Shaqi
Mendel's principles of heredity: A defenceMendel, Gregor
Science
Mendel's principles of heredity: A defence
Mendel, Gregor
Heredity; Hybridization; Mendel's law; Weldon, Walter Frank Raphael. Mendel's laws of alternative inheritance in peas
If we endeavour to collate in a brief form the results arrived at, we
find that those differentiating characters which admit of easy and
certain recognition in the experimental plants, all behave exactly
alike in their hybrid associations. The offspring of the hybrids of
each pair of differentiating characters are, one-half, hybrid again,
while the other half are constant in equal proportions having the
characters of the seed and pollen parents respectively. If several
differentiating characters are combined by cross-fertilisation in a
hybrid, the resulting offspring form the terms of a combination series
in which the permutation series for each pair of differentiating
characters are united.
The uniformity of behaviour shown by the whole of the characters
submitted to experiment permits, and fully justifies, the acceptance of
the principle that a similar relation exists in the other characters
which appear less sharply defined in plants, and therefore could not
be included in the separate experiments. An experiment with peduncles
of different lengths gave on the whole a fairly satisfactory result,
although the differentiation and serial arrangement of the forms could
not be effected with that certainty which is indispensable for correct
experiment.
THE REPRODUCTIVE CELLS OF HYBRIDS.
The results of the previously described experiments induced further
experiments, the results of which appear fitted to afford some
conclusions as regards the composition of the egg and pollen cells of
hybrids. An important matter for consideration is afforded in _Pisum_
by the circumstance that among the progeny of the hybrids constant
forms appear, and that this occurs, too, in all combinations of the
associated characters. So far as experience goes, we find it in every
case confirmed that constant progeny can only be formed when the egg
cells and the fertilising pollen are of like character, so that both
are provided with the material for creating quite similar individuals,
as is the case with the normal fertilisation of pure species[38]. We
must therefore regard it as essential that exactly similar factors are
at work also in the production of the constant forms in the hybrid
plants. Since the various constant forms are produced in _one_ plant,
or even in _one_ flower of a plant, the conclusion appears logical
that in the ovaries of the hybrids there are formed as many sorts of
egg cells, and in the anthers as many sorts of pollen cells, as there
are possible constant combination forms, and that these egg and pollen
cells agree in their internal composition with those of the separate
forms.
[38] [“False hybridism” was of course unknown to Mendel.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account