Question

What does it mean when a trait is independent from another trait? Give one example.

Answer 1

Answer:

It means one trait does not influence the expression of the other. Example is given in the explanation section.

Explanation:

A trait is the phenotypic characteristics an organism possesses. It is determined and controlled by genes. According to Mendel, an organism receives two forms of every gene called ALLELE. Each allele of a gene encodes a different trait.

Mendel, in his law of independent assortment stated that the inheritance of a trait encoded by the alleles of one gene does not influence the inheritance of another trait encoded by the alleles of another gene. A trait is said to be independent of another if it doesn't influence the expression of the other trait.

An example is the seed colour and seed shape trait in a plant. The seed colour trait is encoded by a certain gene and its expression and inheritance is independent of the seed shape trait encoded by another gene.