Question

Is Recombination and crossing Over the same?

Answer 1

Hint: Genetic Recombination happens as the result of separation of genes which occurs during gamete formation in meiosis, the random combining of genes during fertilization. Whereas crossing over is the transfer of genes that happens between chromosome pairs in a process. The key difference between recombination and crossing over is- recombination is the new combination of genes.

Complete answer:
In general, recombination can occur at any moment during a homologous pair up, whether they are tandem, lined up or at the metaphase stage of meiosis. Also, recombinant chromosomes can cross over newly or parent strands to new strands formation in recombination. Crossing over is a part of the recombination process.
While crossing over is the swapping of genetic material which occurs in the germ line. As the cell divides, crossing over is common in meiosis where the formation of egg cells and sperm cells takes place while mitosis is the division of daughter cells. Hence, paired chromosomes from each parent align and the similar DNA sequences from these paired chromosomes cross over.
The crossover and genetic recombination are equally important as-

Recombination	Crossing over
Genetic recombination produces more variation in genes.	While crossing over leads to different combinations of genes from parents.
They do not produce chimeric alleles.	They produce chimeric alleles.
Recombination is of three types- Radiative, Defect and they are for lifetime.	Crossing over happens between only homologous chromosomes.
Examples- during meiosis in prophase I chromosomes line up and swap segments.	Examples- crossing over in non-sister chromatids.

Note:
The main difference is recombination can be performed between different combinations of offspring while crossing over only on exchange of genetic material between non-sister chromatids. There are typically two types of recombination- General and Illegitimate recombination. And also, site-specific and replicative recombination.