How Mendel’s Interest in Inheritance Grew out of Plant Improvement

Genetics: A Periodical Record of Investigations Bearing on Heredity and Variation

article

Peter J. van Dijk¹  Franz J. Weissing²  T. H. Noel Ellis⁴ 

[1] Keygene N.V., 6708 PW Wageningen, The Netherlands,;University of Groningen, 9747 AG, The Netherlands;Netherlands Institute for Advanced Study, 1012 CG Amsterdam, The Netherlands;School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland,1142 New Zealand

关键词: Gregor Mendel;    genetics;    inheritance;    plant breeding;    horticulture;   

DOI  :  10.1534/genetics.118.300916

学科分类：医学（综合）

来源: Genetics Society of America

【 摘 要 】

Despite the fact that Gregor Mendel is generally respected as the founder of genetics, little is known about the origin of and motivation for his revolutionary work. No primary sources are known that discuss his work during the period of his pea crossing experiments. Here, we report on two previously unknown interconnected local newspaper articles about Mendel’s work that predate his famous Pisum lectures by 4 years. These articles describe Mendel as a plant breeder and a horticulturist. We argue that Mendel’s initial interests concerned crop improvement, but that with time he became more interested in fundamental questions about inheritance, fertilization, and natural hybridization.

【 授权许可】

CC BY