How many pairs of contrasting characters in pea plants were studied by Mendel in his experiments?

Options

A. Seven
B. Five
C. Six
D. Eight

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding Mendel's Experiments**: Gregor Mendel conducted experiments on pea plants to study inheritance patterns. He focused on specific traits that exhibited clear contrasting characteristics.

2. **Identifying the Contrasting Characters**: Mendel studied several pairs of contrasting traits in pea plants. The main traits he focused on include:
- Flower color: Purple (dominant) and White (recessive)
- Plant height: Tall (dominant) and Dwarf (recessive)
- Seed color: Yellow (dominant) and Green (recessive)
- Seed shape: Round (dominant) and Wrinkled (recessive)
- Pod color: Green (dominant) and Yellow (recessive)
- Pod shape: Full (dominant) and Flat (recessive)
- Flower position: Axial (dominant) and Terminal (recessive)

3. **Counting the Pairs**: By listing the traits, we can see that Mendel studied a total of **seven pairs of contrasting characters** in his experiments.

4. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the answer to the question is that Mendel studied **seven pairs of contrasting characters** in pea plants.

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