_____ in plant biology was used by Gregor Mendel to derive the patterns of inheritance

Options

A. Hybridization
B. Mutagenesis
C. Embryogenesis
D. none of these

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Identify the Subject of Mendel's Study**: Gregor Mendel is known for his foundational work in genetics, particularly through his experiments with pea plants.

2. **Understand the Experiment**: Mendel conducted experiments by crossing different varieties of pea plants, specifically focusing on traits such as height (tall and dwarf).

3. **Define the Traits**: In his experiments, Mendel used the dominant trait (tall, represented as capital T) and the recessive trait (dwarf, represented as small t).

4. **Analyze the Results**: When Mendel crossed the tall and dwarf plants, he observed the offspring (F1 generation) and noted that all the offspring were tall. This indicated that the tall trait was dominant over the dwarf trait.

5. **Further Generations**: Mendel then allowed the F1 generation to self-pollinate, leading to the F2 generation, where he observed a 3:1 ratio of tall to dwarf plants, confirming the inheritance patterns.

6. **Conclusion**: Mendel's work with pea plants and the patterns of inheritance he derived from these experiments laid the groundwork for the field of genetics. The process he used is known as hybridization.

**Final Answer**: Hybridization in plant biology was used by Gregor Mendel to derive the patterns of inheritance.

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