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Source-This post on Punnett square is based on the article “Punnett square: A genetics puzzle” published in “The Hindu” on 1st April 2024.
Why in the News?
This article explains Punnett squares, which predict the genetic combinations of offspring from two individuals with known genotypes.
About Punnett square
1. The name “Punnett Square” originates from the British geneticist Reginald Punnett who devised the approach in 1905.
2. Biologists use this diagram to figure out the chance of an offspring having a specific genotype.
How does it work?
1. The potential genetic traits of one parent listed on one side, and the traits of the other parent listed on the other side.
2. Each square is filled by combining the traits from each parent. Each square represents a potential combination of traits that their offspring might inherit.
3. It provides a straightforward method for visualizing the likelihood of various traits appearing in the offspring.
Applications
1. It finds frequent applications in biology to understand inheritance patterns, such as the study of dominant and recessive genes typically encountered in school settings.
2. This valuable tool aids in forecasting the potential variations and probabilities arising from crossbreeding.
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