Chapter 19, Problem 17P

Two pure $\text{-}$ breeding wheat strains, one producing dark red kernels and the other producing white kernels, are crossed to produce ${\text{F}}_{\text{1}}$ with pink kernel color. When an $F_1$ plant is self $\text{-}$ fertilized and its seed collected and planted, the resulting ${\text{F}}_{\text{2}}$ consist of $\text{160}$ plants with kernel colors as shown in the following table.

a. Based on the $F_2$ progeny, how many genes are involved in kernel color determination?

b. How many additive alleles are required to explain the five phenotypes seen in the $F_2$?

c. Using clearly defined allele symbols of your choice, give genotypes for the parental strains and the ${\text{F}}_{\text{1}}$. Describe the genotypes that produce the different phenotypes in the $F_2$.

d. If an ${\text{F}}_{\text{1}}$ plant is crossed to a dark red plant, what are the expected progeny phenotypes and what is the expected proportion of each phenotype?