Why Mendel's work was not recognized till 1900?

Options

A. His work could not be widely published.
B. His concept of factor ( stable and discrete units that control expression of trait ) was not accepted by his contemporaries.
C. His approach of using mathematics to explain biological phenomenon was new to the biologists of his time.
D. All of these

Answer

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Introduction to Mendel's Work**:
- Gregor Mendel, known as the father of genetics, conducted experiments on pea plants to understand the laws of inheritance. He completed his work in 1863 and published it in 1865.

2. **Lack of Recognition Until 1900**:
- Despite his groundbreaking work, Mendel's contributions were not recognized until 1900, 16 years after his death in 1884.

3. **Reasons for Lack of Recognition**:
- **Communication Barriers**:
- In the 19th century, communication was not as efficient as it is today. Mendel's work did not reach a wide audience, limiting its impact and recognition.
- **Controversial Concepts**:
- Mendel proposed the idea of discrete units of inheritance (now known as genes) that could be dominant or recessive. However, many contemporaries found this idea controversial because they observed blending in traits (e.g., height) in nature, which contradicted Mendel's findings.
- **Mathematical Approach**:
- Mendel used a mathematical framework to explain biological phenomena, which was uncommon at the time. Many biologists viewed mathematics as a separate discipline and were not receptive to this approach.

4. **Conclusion**:
- The combination of poor communication, controversial concepts regarding inheritance, and the novel mathematical approach contributed to the lack of recognition of Mendel's work until 1900.

5. **Correct Answer**:
- The correct answer to the question is option D: "All of the above," as all the reasons mentioned played a role in the delayed recognition of Mendel's work.