One environment can't show how genes act everywhere
- The idea
- Predict
- See it
- Why
- Check
The idea
“If two strains differ in one environment, they'll differ the same way everywhere.”
One shared field is a fair test, so it feels like enough. It shows the gap is inherited. It can't show the gap holds elsewhere.
The short version
The mistake: If two strains differ in one environment, they'll differ the same way everywhere.
What's actually true: A difference seen in one environment can shrink, vanish or flip in another. A result from one condition holds only there.
- Yield is a phenotype, shaped by genotype and environment together. A shared field shows the gap's size and direction only in that field.
- When a gap shrinks or flips between environments, the genotype's effect depends on the environment.
- It works the other way too. A mild setting can hide a genetic difference that a harsh one exposes.
On the exam: A result from one environment holds only there. Look for a second condition before you generalize.