Reasons for Failure of Mendels Predecessors,Progeny,Hybrid Exhibiting,Experimental Approaches

Home >> Mendels Laws >>Reasons for Failure of Mendels Predecessors

	Reasons for Failure of Mendels Predecessors - In his 1865 paper, Mendel presented a brilliant analysis of the deficiencies in the experimental approaches of his predecessors. These are summarized below. 1. The scientists studied the plant as a whole, Le., its total appearance consisting of a large number of characters. 2. Therefore, the plants could not be classified into few clear cut classes. These workers did not attempt an exhaustive classification of the different forms of the characteristics present in the progeny.
3. The scientists were more concerned with the description of various forms appearing in the progeny. An attempt to determine the frequencies of different characteristic forms in the progeny was not made. 4. In many cases, the data from different generations were not kept accurately and separately. 5. In many cases, a complete control on pollination in the F₁ was lacking. 6. In many studies, the F₁ was an interspecific hybrid exhibiting partial to considerable sterility. 7. The number of plants studied in F₂ was relatively small. 8. In addition, most of the characters studied by the earlier workers were quantitative in nature.