In a genetic cross, what results when a red flower and a white flower produce pink flowers?

In a genetic cross, what results when a red flower and a white flower produce pink flowers?

• A. Complete dominance
• B. Codominance
• C. Incomplete dominance
• D. Independent assortment

Answer: (C)

The scenario described in the question illustrates the concept of incomplete dominance. In incomplete dominance, the offspring display a phenotype that is a blend of the two parental traits. In this case, when a red flower and a white flower are crossed, the resulting pink flowers indicate that neither parental trait is completely dominant over the other, leading to a third phenotype that represents a mixture of both. This differs from complete dominance, where one trait would completely overshadow the other, resulting in a phenotype that reflects only the dominant trait; for instance, if the red trait were completely dominant, all offspring would be red rather than pink. Codominance is another distinct genetic scenario where both parental traits are fully expressed in the offspring, such as in blood types where both A and B alleles are equally expressed in AB blood type. Independent assortment refers to the way different genes separate independently during gamete formation, and it does not apply to the blending of traits in a single genetic cross as described here.

The scenario described in the question illustrates the concept of incomplete dominance. In incomplete dominance, the offspring display a phenotype that is a blend of the two parental traits. In this case, when a red flower and a white flower are crossed, the resulting pink flowers indicate that neither parental trait is completely dominant over the other, leading to a third phenotype that represents a mixture of both.

This differs from complete dominance, where one trait would completely overshadow the other, resulting in a phenotype that reflects only the dominant trait; for instance, if the red trait were completely dominant, all offspring would be red rather than pink. Codominance is another distinct genetic scenario where both parental traits are fully expressed in the offspring, such as in blood types where both A and B alleles are equally expressed in AB blood type. Independent assortment refers to the way different genes separate independently during gamete formation, and it does not apply to the blending of traits in a single genetic cross as described here.