What is the term used for the combination of genes that make up individual traits?

The term that describes the combination of genes responsible for individual traits is genotype. Genotype refers to the specific genetic constitution of an organism, which encompasses both the alleles inherited from each parent that determine particular characteristics. For example, in relation to a trait like flower color, the genotype would include the specific alleles involved, whether they are dominant or recessive.

The phenotype, on the other hand, is the observable expression of those traits, which may be influenced by both genetics and environmental factors. While alleles are the different forms of a gene that can exist at a specific locus on a chromosome, they do not represent the entire genetic makeup for a trait. Chromosomes consist of long strands of DNA and contain numerous genes, but the term does not specifically refer to the combination of those genes for individual traits. Therefore, genotype is the most accurate term for describing the genetic makeup of an organism in terms of its traits.