I have some queries about dominant and recessive traits in genetics, can anyone help me?

Question

Using pea plants as an example. Characteristics of an organism is determined by a pair of factors. If the two factors are different, only the dominant will show effect.

1) Regarding the pair of factors, is one from each parent?

2) And also, is it possible that the dominant allele is the trait for shortness? Cause it's often said that T (tall) is the dominant, and t (short) is the recessive... can it be vice versa?

Answer 1

1) Since pea plants use sexual reproduction to produce the pea seeds, it receives one gene from each parent to make the pair.

2) In pea plants tall, T, is dominant over short, t. In other organisms the short trait may be dominant - just not in pea plants.

Answer 2

well,pea plants undergo sexual reproduction.therefore,the factors are a mixture of two traits i;e one from each parent.

the trait for shorthness is dominant when both the factors are "t" that is shortness.in other words both the factors must be of "t" if the character of shortness is to be observed in the new individual.but if the "t" is paired up with a "T" then the character of tallness will be observed. it is soo because the dominant character is stronger than the recissive one and has more power of expressing its property. therefore the "t" cannot be termed as the dominant character as it has a less power of expressing its property of shortness,which is an exception when the pair of factors is " t t".hope that clears your doubt.