J 2014

Gregor J. Mendel – Genetics Founding Father

SCHWARZBACH, Erik, Petr SMÝKAL, Ondřej DOSTÁL, Michaela JARKOVSKÁ, Simona VALOVÁ et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Gregor J. Mendel – Genetics Founding Father

Authors

SCHWARZBACH, Erik, Petr SMÝKAL, Ondřej DOSTÁL (203 Czech Republic, guarantor), Michaela JARKOVSKÁ (203 Czech Republic) and Simona VALOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution)

Edition

Czech Journal of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 2014, 1212-1975

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10611 Plant sciences, botany

Country of publisher

Czech Republic

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

Impact factor

Impact factor: 0.364

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

UT WoS

000342917800002

Keywords in English

heredity; hybridization; manuscript; Mendel; Pisum

Tags

Tags

International impact, Reviewed
Změněno: 11/6/2020 14:49, Mgr. Marie Šípková, DiS.

Abstract

V originále

Mendel's impact on science is overwhelming. Although based on the number of scientific papers he published he might be considered a meteorologist, his most significant contribution is his study of plant hybrids. This single work puts Mendel on a par with Darwin's evolutionary theory and establishes him firmly in the frame of today's biology. The aim of this article is to introduce the personality of Gregor Johann Mendel, focussing not just on his scientific work, but also on his background and what or who influenced him. To understand Mendel's use of quantification and mathematical analysis of obtained results, representing a radical departure from methods of his predecessors, it is important to know something about their arguments, beliefs, and practices. He designed his experiments to answer a long standing question of hybridization, not inheritance as we perceive it today, since the science of genetics was born considerably later. He studied many genera of plants, but his famous research was on garden peas. To choose a single species for his crosses was fundamental to his success, but also fuelled most of criticism at the time he presented his results. The reason for his success was partly due to being a hybrid himself: of a biological scientist, a physical scientist and a mathematician. Mendel's other fields of interest such as meteorology and bee keeping are also introduced in this article.