Which pair of features represents polygenic inheritance ?
(a) Human eye colour and sickle cell anaemia
(b) Hair pigment of mouse and tongue rolling in humans
(c) ABO blood groups in humans and flower colour of Mirabilis jalapa
(d) Human height and skin colour

Options

A. Human eye colour and sickle cell anaemia
B. Hair pigment of mouse and tongue rolling in humans
C. ABO blood groups in humans and flower colour of Mirabilis jalapa
D. Human height and skin colour.

Answer

To determine which pair of features represents polygenic inheritance, we need to understand what polygenic inheritance is. Polygenic inheritance refers to a trait that is controlled by multiple genes, resulting in a continuous range of phenotypes.

Let's analyze each option step by step:

1. **Option (a): Human eye color and sickle cell anemia**
- Human eye color is a polygenic trait, as it is influenced by multiple genes.
- Sickle cell anemia, however, is not a polygenic trait; it is a single-gene disorder caused by a mutation in the hemoglobin gene.
- **Conclusion**: This option is incorrect.

2. **Option (b): Hair pigment of mouse and tongue rolling in humans**
- Hair pigment in mice is indeed a polygenic trait, as it is influenced by multiple genes.
- Tongue rolling in humans is a simple Mendelian trait, controlled by a single gene.
- **Conclusion**: This option is incorrect.

3. **Option (c): ABO blood groups in humans and flower color of Mirabilis jalapa**
- ABO blood groups are an example of co-dominance, where multiple alleles exist, but it is not polygenic inheritance.
- The flower color of Mirabilis jalapa exhibits incomplete dominance, which is also not polygenic inheritance.
- **Conclusion**: This option is incorrect.

4. **Option (d): Human height and skin color**
- Both human height and skin color are polygenic traits. They are influenced by multiple genes, leading to a continuous range of phenotypes.
- **Conclusion**: This option is correct.

**Final Answer**: The correct pair of features that represents polygenic inheritance is (d) Human height and skin color.