Cytogenetic studies on Marathwadi buffalo

Cytogenetic investigation was undertaken in Marathwadi buffalo by short-term lymphocytes culture technique. Blood samples were obtained from 26 animals (10 males and 16 females). The diploid chromosome number was found to be 2n=50. it comprised 24 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosome. Autosomes comprised five pair of submetacentric and 19 pairs of acrocentric chromosomes. The X chromosome was longest among all acrocentrics. The Y chromosome was smaller acrocentric and it occupied a position between 19^th and 20^th pair of chromosome. The mean relative length of the autosomes varied from 7.15 to 1.96 per cent in male and from 7.23 to 1.97 per cent in female Marathwadi buffalo. The mean relative length of X and Y chromosome were 6.30 and 2.48 per cent respectively. The arm ratio ranged from 30.93 to 69.43 per cent in males and 28.51 to 52.30 per cent in females. The centromeric indices of biarmed chromosomes ranged from 23.62 to 40.98 per cent in males and 22.18 to 34.34 per cent in females.