What is the name of the diagram used to predict genotype and phenotype combinations in a genetic cross?

The diagram utilized to predict genotype and phenotype combinations in a genetic cross is known as a Punnett square. This tool allows geneticists to visualize the possible genetic outcomes when two parents with specific genotypes mate. By arranging the alleles from each parent along the top and side of a grid, one can easily fill in the squares to show all potential allele combinations in the offspring.

The efficiency of a Punnett square lies in its simplicity and clarity, which aids in teaching and understanding basic principles of Mendelian genetics. It helps illustrate concepts such as dominant and recessive traits, and it provides insight into the likelihood of different genotypes appearing in the offspring. For example, if one parent contributes an allele for brown eyes (B) and the other provides an allele for blue eyes (b), the Punnett square can show the likelihood of the offspring being homozygous brown (BB), heterozygous (Bb), or homozygous blue (bb).

Other options like a genetic tree, which might refer to a pedigree chart tracking family traits and inheritance patterns over generations, do not serve the same purpose of predicting immediate offspring outcomes from a specific cross. An allele chart is not a commonly recognized tool in genetics and may not effectively convey the combination possibilities in