Term | Definition |
Trait | a genetically determined characteristic |
Heredity | passing of genetic traits from parent to offspring |
Genetics | study of heredity |
Gregor Mendel | discovered the principles of heredity while studying pea plants |
Dominant Trait | trait observed I the first generation when parents with different traits are bred |
Recessive Trait | appeared in the second generation after disappearing in the first generation |
Genes | instructions for an inherited trait |
Alleles | the different forms of genes |
Phenotype | organism's appearance |
Genotype | both inherited alleles formed together |
Purebred/Homozygous | plant with 2 dominant or recessive alleles |
Hybrid/Heterozygous | plant that has the genotype Pp |
Probability | mathematical chance that something will happen |
Punnett Square | chart that shows all possible combinations of alleles |
Meiosis | process that occurs in sex cells by which chromosomes are reduced by half |
Selective Breeding | process of selecting a few organisms with desired traits to serve as parents |
Inbreeding | two individuals with identical or similar sets of alleles are crossed |
Hybridization | two genetically different individuals are crossed |
Cloning | organism that is genetically identical to the organism from which it was produced |
DNA | genetic material that carries information about an organism and is passed from parent to offspring |
Mutation | a change in a gene or chromosome |
Genetic Engineering | transfer of a gene from the DNA |