In the di-hybrids that Mendel worked with, the genes for the individual traits were located on separate chromosomes. If the gene for two or more of these traits has been located on the same chromosomes, would Mendel have developed his law of independent assortment?
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If genes for two of the traits were close on the same chromosome, the alleles would be inherited together because they are physically linked on the same DNA molecule. In this case they would not assort independently. You can read more about gene linkage here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_linkag…
As an aside, several of the genes Mendel was studying actually are on the same chromosome. However, they are not close together on those chromosomes. During meiosis I, crossing over can lead to exchange of distant alleles on a particular chromosome so that they appear to assort independently. You can read more about crossing over and its effects on allele order here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromosomal…
As an aside, several of the genes Mendel was studying actually are on the same chromosome. However, they are not close together on those chromosomes. During meiosis I, crossing over can lead to exchange of distant alleles on a particular chromosome so that they appear to assort independently. You can read more about crossing over and its effects on allele order here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromosomal…