Scientists Crack Mendel’s 160-Year-Old Genetic Code, genetic Mystery Behind Pea Plant Traits Finally Solved
By Aditya| May 29, 2025
Jodhpur / Global Desk
After more than a century and a half, a groundbreaking study published in Nature (2025) has resolved one of the most enduring mysteries in genetics — the molecular basis behind all seven traits studied by Gregor Mendel in his classic pea plant experiments.
This scientific milestone not only confirms Mendel’s pioneering observations but also reshapes our understanding of genetic inheritance, especially in plant genomics and crop breeding.
Mendel’s Legacy Revisited
In the 1860s, an Austrian monk named Gregor Mendel studied seven contrasting traits in pea plants — such as seed shape, pod color, and flower position — laying the foundation for Mendelian genetics. Though his work was largely overlooked until 1900, it became the bedrock of modern biology.
For over 160 years, however, the genetic mechanisms behind three of the seven traits remained elusive — until now.
The 2025 Breakthrough
An international team of scientists, using advanced techniques like next-generation sequencing (NGS), genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and bioinformatics, analyzed over 697 pea varieties, sequencing a staggering 60 terabases of DNA.
Their efforts uncovered the genetic underpinnings of pod color, pod shape, and flower position, completing the puzzle Mendel began in 1856.
Key discoveries include:
Deletions near the ChlG gene influencing pod color.
Modifier loci impacting pod shape.
Multiple new allelic variants of previously studied traits — suggesting that inheritance is more complex than Mendel could have known.
> “We now have gene-level clarity on traits Mendel could only observe phenotypically,” said one of the study’s lead geneticists. “This changes how we look at crop genomics.”
Implications for Agriculture & Climate
Beyond Mendel’s seven traits, the study also identified 72 agriculturally relevant characteristics — including flower and root architecture, disease resistance, and nitrogen fixation capacity — crucial for developing climate-resilient and high-yield crops.
This will boost:
- Pea breeding efficiency using genetic markers
- Better utilization of germplasm collections for crop resilience
- Sustainable agriculture through targeted gene editing in legumes and other crops
Why It Matters?
Mendel’s humble pea plants — grown in a monastery garden in Brno — continue to influence global science. By solving this genetic puzzle, researchers have bridged history with high-tech biology, offering new tools to tackle food security and environmental challenges.
This discovery not only deepens our understanding of Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance, but it also empowers the next generation of scientists and farmers to grow crops that are smarter, stronger, and more sustainable.
Nature Journal (2025) – Scientists Solve Mendel’s Genetic Puzzle
The Better India – Science & Innovation Desk
Plant Molecular Biology Research Unit – EuropeGenomics
