Gregor Mendel's Exploratory Work :student Work

An Interactive Experiment on Mendelian Inheritance
in Mung bean (Vigna radiata) Plant

VILLAR ERICK GENARD P.
BSA 2B
Objectives
In this paper, the goal is to illustrate Mendel's work on the inheritance of traits. Firstly,
it's essential to comprehend the traits observed in Mendel's garden pea experiment,
demonstrating Mendel's laws of inheritance. Subsequently, we will observe traits in
our own experiment conducted using mung bean plants, similar to Mendel's
approach. The aim of this paper is to confirm the accuracy of Mendel's laws of
inheritance by applying them to mung bean plants. Additionally, this research aids in
understanding the transmission of traits from parent to offspring in various forms,
illustrate why some offspring display different phenotypes compare to their parents
.
Introduction
Gregor Mendel's innovative genetic experiments with garden pea plants, conducted in
the mid-19th century, laid the groundwork for our understanding of inheritance laws.
His wonderful studies of pea plant traits, such as seed shape, flower color, and pod
texture, revealed the fundamental principles of genetic inheritance. Building upon
Mendel's principles, this narrative report investigates through an experiment focusing
on mung bean plants by following the seven traits identified in Mendel's garden peas
study. Within this paper, I will present the results of the investigation into three mung
bean plants, examining them for seven key traits identified by Mendel. Through
observation and analysis, we can identify the phenotype, the recessive and dominant
traits present in each plant, highlighting the inheritance pattern.
Understanding the genetic makeup of every plant not only contributes to our
knowledge of plant genetics but also holds broader implications for agriculture and
food security, as it allows for the development of improved crop varieties. I initiated
the experiment by planting a mung bean seed, overseeing its growth from the moment
of sowing. Then I carefully segregated the seedlings into three individual pots,
ensuring each pot contained only one plant and giving them the same treatment for
each by adding the same fertilizer (compost) and the same type of soil mixture
(compost + wood ash + soil). Throughout the duration of the experiment, I carefully
observed the phenotype and monitored the growth of each plant on a weekly basis
until each plant produced a pea. To maintain organization, I labeled each pot
accordingly: Pot A for the first, Pot B for the second, and Pot C for the third. The
detailed results and observations derived from this process are shown on the next part
of this paper
Results
In the results section, I'll include a picture showing the mung bean growth process
from planting to harvesting. This image will illustrate each stage, making it easier to
understand the changes over time and provide a clear summary of our observations.
February 5, 2024 (Day 1)

I started sowing a mung bean seed in each pot, using the same type of soil mixture for
consistency. Remember, each pot is labeled as Pot A, Pot B, and Pot C.

The seeds started to sprout, indicating the beginning of leaf growth. I initially planted
multiple seeds in each pot. I manually removed the excess seedling but one left seedling from
each pot, selecting the strongest to continue growing.
Pot A Pot B Pot C
March 4, 2024 (Day 28)

At this stage, all the plants look good. They're growing evenly, with similar sizes but I’ve
noticed that the pot B have two branches compare to the other pots having only one branch at
this moment. I kept them hydrated by watering whenever the soil dried out.
Pot A Pot B Pot C
Since the main goal of this experiment is to identify the seven traits given by Mendel, I
decided to skip weekly observations and focused on caring for the plants. But still I continued
to ensure they were healthy while waiting for them to produce peas.
March 26, 2024 (Day 50)
It has been 20 days since sowing, and all the plants have entered their stationary phase. Each
plant has produced flowers. Unfortunately, in Pot C, the first pod that appeared was eaten and
destroyed by ants. I'm waiting for another pea to develop
Pot A Pot B Pot C
April 8, 2024 (Day 63)

Some of the pods have fully matured, and I'm now waiting for them to dry on the plant. I'll
harvest them on the following day
. Pot A Pot B Pot C

April 12, 2024 (Day 67)
Finally, all of the pods are ready to harvest. I collected the pods from each plant to conduct a
comparison of the 7 traits described by Mendel.
Comparison
The seven traits identified by Mendel in his experiments are:

1. Pea shape (round or wrinkled)
2. Pea color (yellow or green)
3. Pod shape (inflated or constricted)
4. Pod color (green or yellow)
5. Flower color (purple or white)
6. Flower position (axial or terminal)
7. Stem length (long or short)
In my comparison, I won't be determining traits number 5 (flower color) and number
6 (flower position) because, unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of them.
1. Pea shape (round or wrinkled)
The best pea form can be seen in Pot B. It is plump and healthy-looking
compared to Pot A, which has a wrinkled form. The peas from Pot C have
failed to develop; that's why the pea produced by Pot C is so tiny and black.
Perhaps this is due to the genetic makeup of the plant.
2. Pea color (yellow or green)
The color of the peas in Pot B and Pot A is not totally different, but the
yellowish color is more noticeable in Pot A compared to Pot B. In Pot C,
however, the peas are noticeably black in color.
3. Pod shape (inflated or constricted)
In terms of pod shape, the pods from Pot A are slightly curled or wrinkled, and
their pods are somewhat thinner compared to the pods from Pot B. In Pot C,
however, the pods are almost wrinkled, with very thin pod layers, making the
best result here, arguably, the pods from Pot B it is constricted.
4. Pod color (green or yellow)
In terms of pod color, all the pods produced by each pot appear to be green.
There's no difference in color between the pots.
Pot A Pot B Pot C
5. Stem length (long or short)

I measured each plant from its stem, touching the ground to its top. The tallest
of all is the plant from Pot B, followed by the one in Pot A, and the shortest is
the one in Pot C.
Plant A 11.7inches Plant B 16.4 inches Plant C 12.3 inches

Conclusion
In terms of dominance based on Mendel's laws of inheritance in the seven traits observed, Pot
B demonstrates dominance in pea shape, pod shape (being constricted), and stem length
(being the tallest), while Pot C appears to exhibit recessive traits in these aspects. Pot A
displays intermediate characteristics between Pot B and Pot C.
This experiment highlights that not all plants have the same phenotypes, and even with equal
care, they may not produce the same quality of yield. It confirms Mendel's law of inheritance,
which explains how genetic traits vary among offspring some of them is recessive, some of
them are dominant. Let’s keep in our mind that all plants have different genotype which can
vary the results of every experiment we conduct.
‘"The essence of life lies not in what is inherited, but in what is nurtured"
- Gregor Mendel

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An Interactive Experiment on Mendelian Inheritance

in Mung bean (Vigna radiata) Plant

February 5, 2024 (Day 1)

February 19, 2024 (Day 14)

March 4, 2024 (Day 28)

April 8, 2024 (Day 63)

. Pot A Pot B Pot C

The seven traits identified by Mendel in his experiments are:

5. Stem length (long or short)

Plant A 11.7inches Plant B 16.4 inches Plant C 12.3 inches

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