Which term is used for inheritance patterns where neither allele dominates and you see a mixture?

Which term is used for inheritance patterns where neither allele dominates and you see a mixture?

• A. Incomplete Dominance
• B. Codominance
• C. Autosomal
• D. Carrier

Answer: (A)

In incomplete dominance, neither allele fully dominates the other, so the heterozygous phenotype is intermediate between the two homozygous phenotypes. This creates a mixture rather than a full expression of one trait or the presence of both traits separately. For example, crossing a red-flowered plant (RR) with a white-flowered plant (WW) can yield pink-flowered offspring (RW), which sits between red and white. This is different from codominance, where both alleles are expressed fully and distinctly in the phenotype (such as AB blood type or a roan coat with red and white spots). The other terms refer to broader genetic concepts rather than how alleles are expressed in the offspring.

In incomplete dominance, neither allele fully dominates the other, so the heterozygous phenotype is intermediate between the two homozygous phenotypes. This creates a mixture rather than a full expression of one trait or the presence of both traits separately. For example, crossing a red-flowered plant (RR) with a white-flowered plant (WW) can yield pink-flowered offspring (RW), which sits between red and white.

This is different from codominance, where both alleles are expressed fully and distinctly in the phenotype (such as AB blood type or a roan coat with red and white spots). The other terms refer to broader genetic concepts rather than how alleles are expressed in the offspring.