Answer :
Final answer:
The genotypes of the parents in the squash cross are likely Ww (heterozygous white fruited) crossed with ww (homozygous yellow fruited), as the offspring ratio closely matches the 3:1 ratio expected from such a cross.
Explanation:
To determine the genotypes of the parents in a squash cross leading to 326 white and 107 yellow fruited plants, we need to look at the inheritance pattern of the fruit color trait. Since white fruit (W) is dominant over yellow (w), and the appearance of yellow fruit indicates that at least one parent must carry the recessive allele, one of the possible parental genotype combinations is Ww (heterozygous white) crossed with ww (homozygous yellow).
The observed ratio of white to yellow offspring closely matches a 3:1 ratio, which is expected from a monohybrid cross between a heterozygote and a homozygote recessive. Therefore, the correct parental genotypes are most likely Ww crossed with ww, which would produce a phenotypic ratio where approximately 3/4 of the offspring are white (WW or Ww) and 1/4 are yellow (ww).
