Mendel’s choice of the pea plant (Pisum sativum) proved very satisfactory for his experiments:
The advantages are as follows:
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Self fertilization normally occurs in the plant giving it relatively homogenous genetic characteristics.
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Self pollination is equivalent to mating an individual with one exactly like itself.
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The structure of the flower is such, that contamination by wind-blown or insect-borne foreign pollen is rare.
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The pea plant provides several pairs of contracting traits for study.
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It also provides a large number of progeny in a short period of time. This gives a large sample for statistical analysis.
