Final answer:
The statement is false; loci that are close together have a lower recombination rate than those that are far apart, because the probability of recombination increases with the distance between the genes on a chromosome.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement 'Loci that are close together have a higher recombination rate than loci that are far apart' is false. In genetics, the recombination frequency between two loci is inversely related to their physical proximity on the chromosome. Loci that are far apart are more likely to undertake recombination compared to loci that are close together, due to the increased likelihood of crossovers occurring between them. Alfred Sturtevant’s work on genetic mapping showed that the likelihood of recombination, or crossover, between genes correlates with their genetic distance from each other. If the frequency of recombination between two genes is less than 50 percent, these genes are said to be linked, indicating that they are close together on a chromosome and inherited together.
As genes are separated further apart on a chromosome, the probability of a recombination event happening between them increases, leading to a higher recombination frequency. Genes that are closer tend to be inherited together, and the classical Mendelian prediction of a dihybrid cross ratio, such as 9:3:3:1, may not apply. A recombination frequency of 0.5 (50%) indicates that the genes behave as if they are on separate chromosomes or are very far apart on the same chromosome, with offspring showing equal numbers of parental and recombinant types.