Nature Study Solves 160-Year-Old Genetic Puzzle of Mendel’s Pea Traits

Context

A landmark 2025 study published in Nature has identified the genetic basis of all seven traits studied by Gregor Mendel in pea plants, including the last unresolved ones—pod colour, pod shape, and flower position. Using advanced genomic tools, the discovery resolves a 160-year-old mystery and opens new avenues for crop improvement and sustainable agriculture

Historical Background:

Gregor Mendel, an Austrian monk, conducted experiments on Pisum sativum (pea plant) and discovered seven discrete traits, establishing the Laws of Inheritance:
- Law of Segregation
- Law of Independent Assortment
- Law of Dominance
His work, published in 1866, was ignored until rediscovered in 1900 by Hugo de Vries, Carl Correns, and Erich von Tschermak.

Seven Traits Studied by Mendel:

Trait	Dominant	Recessive
Seed Shape	Round	Wrinkled
Seed Colour	Yellow	Green
Flower Colour	Purple	White
Pod Shape	Inflated	Constricted
Pod Colour	Green	Yellow
Flower Position	Axial	Terminal
Plant Height	Tall	Dwarf

2025 Scientific Breakthrough:

Key Unresolved Traits Now Decoded:
- Pod Colour: Linked to deletions near the ChlG
- Pod Shape and Flower Position: Associated with complex genetic regions and modifier loci.
Technologies Used:
- Sequencing of 60 terabases of DNA across 697 pea accessions.
- Use of Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and Transcriptome Analysis.