A Punnett square is a square diagram used to predict the genotypes of a particular cross or breeding experiment. It is named after Reginald C. Punnett, who developed the approach in 1905. The Punnett square is a visual representation of Mendelian inheritance and is used by biologists to determine the probability of an offspring having a particular genotype. The diagram is a tabular summary of possible combinations of maternal alleles with paternal alleles, which can be used to examine the genotypical outcome probabilities of the offspring of a single trait (allele) or when crossing multiple traits from the parents.
The Punnett square works only if the genes are independent of each other, which means that having a particular allele of gene "A" does not alter the probability of possessing an allele of gene "B". The Punnett square can be used to predict the probability or likelihood of a genetic outcome based on a specific genetic cross. It doesnt tell you what will be, only what could be.
In a Punnett square, capital letters represent dominant alleles, and lowercase letters represent recessive alleles. The known genotypes of each parent are shown to help predict the possible genotypes of their offspring. The Punnett square is a helpful tool that helps to predict the variations and probabilities that can come from cross-breeding.
