Which generation consists of the original organisms used to start a genetic cross?

• A. Offspring
• B. First filial
• C. Hybrid
• D. Parental generation

Answer: (D)

In genetics, the starting organisms used to set up a cross are called the parental generation. The P generation consists of the original individuals chosen for crossing, providing the genetic material you want to study. Their offspring are the first filial generation, or F1, which is why that label describes the offspring rather than the starting parents. Offspring is a general term for the progeny of a cross, and a hybrid refers to the type of offspring produced when two different lines are crossed, not the generation name. So the parental generation best fits the idea of the original organisms used to start the genetic cross.