If we cross pure-bred tall (dominant) pea plant with pure-bred dwarf (recessive) pea plant we will get pea plants of $F_1$ generation. If we now self-cross the pea plant of $F_1$ generation, then we obtain pea plants of $F_2$ generation.

(a) What do the plants of $F_1$ generation look like ?

(b) State the ratio of tall plants to dwarf plants in $F_2$ generation.

(c) State the type of plants not found in $F_1$ generation but appeared in $F_2$ generation, mentioning the reason for the same.

(a) All the plants of the $F_1$ generation are tall. There are no medium-height or dwarf plants.

(b) The ratio of tall plants to dwarf plants in the $F_2$ generation is $3:1$.

(c) Dwarf (short) plants were not found in the $F_1$ generation but appeared in the $F_2$ generation.

Reason: In the $F_1$ plants, both the tallness ($T$) and shortness ($t$) factors (alleles) were inherited from the parents, resulting in the heterozygous genotype $Tt$. Since tallness is a dominant trait, it masks the recessive shortness trait, making all $F_1$ plants look tall. However, when these $F_1$ plants undergo self-pollination, the alleles segregate during gamete formation. In the $F_2$ generation, one-quarter ($25\%$) of the offspring inherit the recessive allele '$t$' from both parents, resulting in the homozygous recessive genotype $tt$, which allows the dwarf trait to be expressed.