Question

How can you find the number of pairs of alleles involved in polygenic inheritance by using the number of phenotypic forms of the trait they condition?

Answer 1

The formula is

p = 2a + 1

where "p" is number of phenotypic forms and "a" is number of alleles invloved in the polygenic inheritance.

Polygenic inhertiance is depends on multiple number of alleles present in different number genes (mutifactorial inheritance), the cumulative effect of different alleles gives the phenotypic trait like height, eye color etc.

Its diffcult to find the number of phenotypic forms (p) since phenotype has environmental effect and multigenic nature of inhetance.