The Dominant Trait in Monohybrid Crossings

Understanding Monohybrid Cross

In genetics, a monohybrid cross is a breeding experiment between two individuals that are both heterozygous for a specific gene. This results in the offspring inheriting one allele from each parent, leading to the expression of two different traits.

The Dominant Trait

When it comes to monohybrid crosses, the characteristic that is observed in the offspring is determined by dominant and recessive traits. In this scenario, the dominant trait is the one that is expressed in the offspring.

Dominant Trait: The dominant trait is the version of a gene that is expressed when only one copy is present in an individual's genotype. It masks the effect of the recessive trait when an individual inherits one dominant allele and one recessive allele for a particular gene.

For example, if we consider a monohybrid cross between two pea plants with one parent having the dominant allele for tall height (T) and the other parent having the recessive allele for short height (t), the offspring will all be tall because the dominant trait (T) will be expressed.

Understanding the concept of dominant traits in monohybrid crosses is essential in predicting the phenotypic outcome of genetic crosses and breeding experiments.