Question

Generation

Number of purple flowers

Number of white flowers

1

705

224

2

792

189

3

834

102

4

889

84

5

938

21

6

952

0


Ralph wanted to breed a pea plant that produced only purple flowers. He continued to breed purple-flower producing pea plants together over six generations. The results of Ralph's selective breeding are shown above. What did the selective breeding do to the population of pea plants?
A.
decreased its genetic diversity
B.
increased its genetic diversity
C.
caused a new species of pea plant to form
D.
caused a pea plant to exhibit a new characteristic

Answer 1

A. decreased its genetic diversity

Selective breeding for purple flowers repeatedly removed plants with the white‑flower trait, reducing allelic variation in the population (directional selection). This does not create a new species or a new trait, and it does not increase genetic diversity.