Question

Which statement is incorrect about linkage?

• A. It helps in maintaining the valuable traits of new varieties.
• B. It helps in forming new recombinants.
• C. Knowledge of linkage helps the breeder to combine all desirable traits in a single variety.
• D. It helps in locating genes on chromosome.

Answer 1

The correct option is B It helps in forming new recombinants.

Genetic linkage is the tendency of alleles that are located close together on a chromosome to be inherited together during meiosis. Genes whose loci are nearer to each other are less likely to be separated onto different chromatids during chromosomal crossover, and are therefore said to be genetically linked. In other words, the nearer two genes are on a chromosome, the lower is the chance of a swap occurring between them, and the more likely they are to be inherited together. Linkage of genes in animals and plants is seen as deviations from independent segregation; recombination seen as deviation from complete linkage.
More linkage between genes, lesser will be the recombination frequency.