Question

Given below are two statements:
Statement I: When many alleles of a single gene govern a character, it is called polygenic inheritance.
Statement II: In Polygenic inheritance, the effect of each allele is additive.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below.

• A. Statement I is true but Statement II is false
• B. Statement I is false but Statement II is true
• C. Both Statement I and Statement II are true
• D. Both Statement I and Statement II are false

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

To determine the correctness of the two statements given about polygenic inheritance, let's analyze each statement:

1. Statement I: "When many alleles of a single gene govern a character, it is called polygenic inheritance."
   • This statement is incorrect. Polygenic inheritance is a situation where a trait is controlled by multiple genes, not multiple alleles of a single gene. Each gene may have two or more alleles, and these multiple genes collectively influence a phenotype. Examples include human skin color and height.
2. Statement II: "In polygenic inheritance, the effect of each allele is additive."
   • This statement is correct. In polygenic inheritance, different genes contribute additively to the phenotype. The individual effects of each gene or allele sum up to influence the trait, resulting in a continuous variation in phenotypes, such as a range of skin tones or heights.

In conclusion, based on the analysis:

• Statement I is false but Statement II is true.