Dihybrid cross – Crossing involving two pairs of genes affecting two different

characteristics.

Mendelian
Dihybrid Cross ratio

Phenotypic ratio:
9:3:3:1

Genotypic ratio:
1:2:1:2:4:2:1:2:1
Different types of non-allelic gene interaction

1. Duplicatory gene action

2. Complementary gene action
3. Supplementary gene action ( Recessive Epistasis)
4. Masking gene action (Dominant Epistasis)
5. Inhibitory gene action
6. Polymeric gene action
In all the cases phenotypic ratio is modified from typical Mendelian ratio (9:3:3:1)
 Duplicatory gene action (15:1)
Two dominant gene on different chromosome affect same character
whether alone or together. Contrast phenotype produced only when
both gene are in homozygous recessive state.
 Complementary gene action (9:7)
Two dominant genes required together to produce a phenotype as they complement
each other in production of phenotype. Contrasting phenotype is produced only when
any one gene is present alone or both are present in homozygous recessive condition.
(Greek, to stand upon or stop)
Supplementary gene action (recessive epistasis) (9:3:4)
One dominant allele (W) – produces effect alone
Other dominant allele (M) – produces effect only in presence of first one (modifies the
expression of first one), i.e. expression of one gene pair is dependent on another gene pair.
Complete dominance at both loci, but homozygous recessive condition at one of the
two loci is epistatic to the other.

Recessive allele (ww) of one

gene locus hides the effect of White

another gene locus (MM, Mm or

mm) and expresses itself
phenotypically.
The alleles of M locus express
themselves only when epistatic
locus has dominant alleles (WW
or Ww).
 Masking gene action Parent BByy bbYY
(Dominant Epistasis) (12:3:1) (Black) (Yellow)
Two non-allelic genes affecting same trait Gamete By bY
produce distinct phenotype when alone (B-
black, Y-yellow); when present together (BY), F1 BbYy (Black)
expression of one gene is masked by other.
Contrasting phenotype is produced when each Gamete BY By bY by
present in recessive state (bbyy). F2
Expression of one gene (B) is more intense
than other (Y). BY By bY by
 Dominant allele (B) of one gene hides the BBYY BBYy BbYY BbYy
BY
effect of dominant allele (Y) of other gene Black Black Black Black
and express itself phenotypically. BBYy BByy BbYy Bbyy
By
 The Y allele (hypostatic) will be expressed Black Black Black Black
only when gene locus B contains two BbYY BbYy bbYY bbYy
bY
recessive (bb) alleles. Black Black Yellow Yellow
 Thus, the genotype BBYY or BbYy and BbYy Bbyy bbYy bbyy
by
BByy or Bbyy produce the same phenotype. Black Black Yellow White
 Genotype bbYY or bbYy and bbyy produce Masking gene action in Barley seed coat
two additional phenotype. colour. Phenotypic ration changed to -
Black: Yellow: White = 12:3:1
Difference of Epistasis and Dominance

Works at inter-allelic level Works at intra-allelic level

Inhibitory gene action (13:3) Parent RRii rrII
One of the two dominant genes expressed the (Red) (White)
concerned phenotype, while the other
Gamete Ri rI
dominant gene known as inhibitory gene has
no effect of its own, but can inhibit the F1 RrIi (White)
expression of first dominant gene.
Consequently, the two dominant genes Gamete RI Ri rI ri
together produce same phenotype as that F2
produced by the recessive homozygote of the
first dominant gene. The recessive allele of RI Ri rI ri
the second gene does not exert any influence RRII RRIi RrII RrIi
RI
on the expression of character. White White White White
Example- development of aleurone colour in RRIi RRii RrIi Rrii
Ri
maize. Dominant gene R produce red colour, White Red White Red
its recessive allele r produce contrasting RrII RrIi rrII rrIi
rI
phenotype (white). Dominant gene I does White White White White
not produce any colour, but inhibit R if RrIi Rrii rrIi rrii
ri
present together. Recessive allele i does not White Red White White
affect colour production.
Inhibitory gene action in Maize aleurone colour.
Phenotypic ration changed to -
White : Red = 13:3
Polymeric gene action
Two completely dominant genes controlling a character produce same phenotype,
when their dominant alleles are alone, but when dominant alleles are together, the
phenotypic effect is enhanced and become cumulative or additive effect.
Example – Awn length on Barley fruit:
A/B – Medium Awn, A&B – Long Awn, ab - Awnless

F1

(M) (M)
F2
(M) (M)

(M) (M) (A)

Phenotypic ration Long awned (L) : Medium awned (M) : Awnless (A) = 9:6:1
1. Duplicatory gene action (A – can, B – can same as A,
AB – can - same as A/B)
2. Complementary gene action (A – can’t, B- can’t, AB-
can – complement each other)
3. Supplementary gene action (A – can, B - can’t, AB –
can - A modified by B)
4. Masking gene action (A – can, B - can, AB – can – same
as A - as A masks B)
5. Inhibitory gene action (A – can, B – can’t, AB – can’t as
B inhibit A)
6. Polymeric gene action (A – can, B – can same as A, AB
– can – increased expression than A/B)
 Polygenic inheritance
 When one phenotypic character is controlled by more than one
gene, it is called polygenic inheritance.
 It is also called Quantitative inheritance.
 The quantity of inheritance depends on dominant allele.
 Each contributing gene has small and relatively equal effects.
 Effect of each allele are additive or cumulative, each expressing
part of trait.
A–1 A–1
B-1 AB – 2
C–1 ABC – 3
D-1 ABCD – 4
 Gene involved in quantitative inheritance is known as polygenes.
 There is no dominance instead the genes at each locus behave as
if they follow incomplete dominance.
 There is no epistasis or interaction among the different loci
contributing to the value of the trait.
 There is no linkage involved.
 The value of the trait depends solely on genetic basis;
environmental influences can be ignored.
 Polygenic inheritance don’t follow the Mendelian ratio.

 As a result, the normal F2 ratio is partitioned and modified.

 When 2 polygenes are considered the ratio is 1:4:6:4:1.

 When 3 polygenes are considered the ratio is 1:6:15:20:15:6:1.

 The ratio may be further modified into 1:2:2:1:4:1:2:2:1 when the

contribution of dominant allele of one gene is greater than that of

the other gene.

 Example of polygenic inheritance – Skin colour in man, wheat

kernel colour.
AAbb
In wheat, the kernel colour shows quantitative inheritance and control

by two different genes R1 and R2.

These genes do not show complete dominance so that the

heterozygotes produce intermediate colouration in between two

homozygotes. [( R1R1R2R2 = dark red) and (r1r1r2r2 = white)].

The effect of the dominant genes is cumulative and the intensity of

karnel colour depends on the number of dominant alleles present.