A self-fertilizing trihybrid plant forms

Options

A. 8 different gametes and 32 different zygotes
B. 8 different gametes and 64 different zygotes
C. 4 different gametes and 16 different zygotes
D. 8 different gametes and 16 different zygotes

Answer

To solve the problem of a self-fertilizing trihybrid plant, we need to determine the number of different gametes and zygotes formed. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:

### Step 1: Understand the concept of a trihybrid
A trihybrid organism has three pairs of contrasting traits (alleles). For example, if we consider three traits A, B, and C, each trait can have two alleles (dominant and recessive).

### Step 2: Calculate the number of different gametes
The formula to calculate the number of different gametes produced by a hybrid organism is given by:
\[ \text{Number of gametes} = 2^n \]
where \( n \) is the number of heterozygous gene pairs. In the case of a trihybrid (three traits), \( n = 3 \).

So, we calculate:
\[ \text{Number of gametes} = 2^3 = 8 \]

### Step 3: Calculate the number of different zygotes
When a self-fertilizing plant produces gametes, the number of different zygotes can be calculated by squaring the number of gametes:
\[ \text{Number of zygotes} = \text{Number of gametes} \times \text{Number of gametes} = 8 \times 8 = 64 \]

### Step 4: Conclusion
From the calculations, we find that a self-fertilizing trihybrid plant forms:
- 8 different gametes
- 64 different zygotes

### Final Answer
The correct option is: **8 different gametes and 64 different zygotes.**

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