Punnett Square

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The Punnett Square is a visual tool biologists use to predict outcomes of breeding experiments. Reginald C. Punnett developed this method, which helps determine the probability of offspring inheriting specific genotypes. The diagram shows possible maternal and paternal allele combinations. These tables can be used for single traits or when multiple traits are crossed from parents. A Punnett Square represents Mendelian inheritance visually. To use it effectively, understanding key terms such as "heterozygous", "homozygous", "double heterozygote" (or homozygote), "dominant allele", and "recessive allele" is crucial. For multiple traits, the "forked-line method" is often easier than the Punnett Square. With a Punnett Square, phenotypes can be predicted with better-than-chance accuracy, but many factors can influence the phenotype that appears in a given genotype, including polygenic inheritance and epigenetics.