Suppose the mature height of a plant is a multifactorial trait under the control of five independently assorting genes, designated A, B, C, D, and E, and five environmental factors. There are two alleles of each gene (A₁, A₂, etc.). Each allele with a subscript 1 (i.e., A₁) contributes 5 cm to potential plant height, and each allele with a subscript 2 (i.e., A₂, etc.) contributes 10 cm to potential plant height. In other words, a genotype containing only 1 allele (A₁A₁B₁B₁C₁C₁D₁D₁E₁E₁) would have a potential height of [(10)(5)]=50 cm, and a genotype with only 2 alleles (A₂A₂B₂B₂C₂C₂D₂D₂E₂E₂) would have a potential height of [(10)(10)]=100 cm. The five environmental factors are (1) amount of water, (2) amount of sunlight, (3) soil drainage, (4) nutrient content of soil, and (5) temperature. Each environmental factor can vary from optimal to poor. If all factors are optimal, assume that full potential height is attained. However, if one or more of the environmental factors is less than optimal, then height is reduced. The state of each environmental factor has an effect on growth. In this exercise, we'll assume that the growth is affected according to the following scale:
Thus, for example, if one environmental factor is optimal, two are good, one is fair, and one is marginal, the loss of potential height is 0 + 4 + 4 + 8 + 12 = 28 cm. If the loss of height potential is greater than the height potential of the plant, the plant does not survive. If two plants that each have a height potential of 75 cm are crossed, what proportion of the progeny will have a height potential of 80 cm?.

Question

Suppose the mature height of a plant is a multifactorial trait under the control of five independently assorting genes, designated A, B, C, D, and E, and five environmental factors. There are two alleles of each gene (A₁, A₂, etc.). Each allele with a subscript 1 (i.e., A₁) contributes 5 cm to potential plant height, and each allele with a subscript 2 (i.e., A₂, etc.) contributes 10 cm to potential plant height. In other words, a genotype containing only 1 allele (A₁A₁B₁B₁C₁C₁D₁D₁E₁E₁) would have a potential height of [(10)(5)]=50 cm, and a genotype with only 2 alleles (A₂A₂B₂B₂C₂C₂D₂D₂E₂E₂) would have a potential height of [(10)(10)]=100 cm. The five environmental factors are (1) amount of water, (2) amount of sunlight, (3) soil drainage, (4) nutrient content of soil, and (5) temperature. Each environmental factor can vary from optimal to poor. If all factors are optimal, assume that full potential height is attained. However, if one or more of the environmental factors is less than optimal, then height is reduced. The state of each environmental factor has an effect on growth. In this exercise, we'll assume that the growth is affected according to the following scale:

Thus, for example, if one environmental factor is optimal, two are good, one is fair, and one is marginal, the loss of potential height is 0 + 4 + 4 + 8 + 12 = 28 cm. If the loss of height potential is greater than the height potential of the plant, the plant does not survive. If two plants that each have a height potential of 75 cm are crossed, what proportion of the progeny will have a height potential of 80 cm?.

Table showing environmental factor states and corresponding height loss for plants, with categories from optimal to poor.

Thus, for example, if one environmental factor is optimal, two are good, one is fair, and one is marginal, the loss of potential height is 0 + 4 + 4 + 8 + 12 = 28 cm. If the loss of height potential is greater than the height potential of the plant, the plant does not survive. If two plants that each have a height potential of 75 cm are crossed, what proportion of the progeny will have a height potential of 80 cm?.

Table displaying genotypes and their corresponding environmental factor states affecting plant height potential.

Accepted Answer

Hey, everyone. Let's take a look at this question together. Suppose that the fruit size of a particular crop plant is determined by both genetic and environmental factors. The genetic component of fruit size is controlled by two independently assorting genes designated A and B with two alleles. Each, each A one allele contributes two centimeters to fruit diameter and each A two allele contributes four centimeters to fruit diameter. Similarly, each B one allele contributes three centimeters to fruit diameter and each B two allele contributes six centimeters to fruit diameter. What is the genotype with the highest potential fruit diameter? And we have four different answer choices containing a genotype of different combinations of each allele. So from the question, we know that each A one allele contributes two centimeters. So we have the A one allele is two centimeters. The A two allele contributes four centimeters. So a two is four centimeters. The B one allele contributes three centimeters. So B one contributes three centimeters and the B two allele contributes six centimeters. So B two contributes six centimeters. So looking at our answer choices, we can add up what each ilio contributes to the genotype to figure out which genotype has the highest potential for diameter. So starting off with answer choice A, we have a two, A two B two and B one, which means that we have four plus four plus six plus three, which is equal to 17 answer choice B we have a two, A two B two B two which is equal to four plus four plus six plus six, which is equal to 20 answer Choice C we have a one, A two B one B two which is equal to two plus four plus three plus six, which is equal to 15. And lastly answer choice D we have a one, a two B one B one which is equal two plus four plus three plus three, which is equal to 12. So looking at our answer choices, we can see that answer choice B contains a genotype that contributes centimeters to fruit diameter which is the highest potential fruit diameter. So answer choice B is the correct answer. I hope you found this video to be helpful. Thank you and goodbye.

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Key Concepts

Multifactorial Traits

Genotype and Phenotype

Environmental Impact on Growth