Select some particular plant or animal and find out how it has been improved because of the study of genetics. The following examples are given, but you may select some other topic if you like. Be sure that you have the topic and the method (written or oral) of reporting approved before you do your research. If you choose an oral report, it should be at least 3 minutes in length. If you choose a written report it should be at least 500 words in length. Do some research into thornless varieties of plants.
What plants are available which do not have thorns?
Is thornlessness a mutation?
When and where was the possibility of growing thornless varieties of plants discovered?
How do these varieties compare with the variety that has thorns?
Consult seed catalogs, gardening books, and magazines in the library.
Do some research into the new variety of pumpkins that do not have hulls on their seeds.
Is the flavor of the new variety as good as the flavor of the older varieties, or is the new variety raised only to have seeds without hulls?
How are the seeds prepared?
Is the pumpkin seed a good source of protein?
Consult seed catalogs, gardening books, and gardening magazines.
Study the potato famine in Ireland.
Study how the use of some modern types of potatoes can help to overcome such famines.
Give some examples of potatoes which are hardy against disease.
Study the careful breeding experiments that resulted in disease resistant potatoes.
What makes them hardier and more disease resistant?
What makes them hardier and more disease resistant?
Do some research to find out about the new breeds of cattle that provide much better beef than the older breeds.
Consult a genetics book from the library to determine the names of such cattle.
what makes these breeds better? Are they cared for the same way? Do they have any drawbacks in terms of cost of breeding and raising?
You may want to investigate some of the diseases which are inherited.
Consult a genetics textbook from the library.
You may also need to look up some of these in a medical textbook or the Journal of Heredity.
Who is more likely to inherit them? Why?