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Milk contains plentiful nutrients. In Western countries, cow’s milk fat is supposed as a risk factor for health because it is a source of a high fraction of saturated fatty acids. There has been increasing attention in donkey’s milk. Donkeys’ milk is preferential as a potential new dietetic food and a good alternative for infant nutrition in the case of bovine milk protein allergy. The microbiota present in this food may be responsible for its beneficial effects. Considering the potential health benefits, an increase in utilization of donkeys’ milk is expected. The present review addresses various aspects of donkey milk with special emphasis on milk yield, composition, shelf life, antimicrobial, therapeutic and cosmetic properties.

The study was conducted for 8 weeks to determine pathogenic effect of different fish pathogens in Cirrihinus mrigal (C. mrigala) which was infected with EUS disease. The pathogenic organisms (bacteria and fungi) collected from the infected part of the disease fish. Isolation and screening of microbes were carried out with the help of a number of biochemical tests. A total of eight bacterial isolates were obtained from the diseased fish. Out of eight, six bacteria viz., Streptococcus grp Q1, Aeromonas hydrophilla, Shigella spp., Streptococcus faecalis, Cellobiosococcus sciuri, Micrococcus luteus were found to be pathogenic. The fungus, Aphanomyces invadens was also isolated from the diseased fishes. The pathogenicity of disease causing organisms was tested through in vitro and in vivo experiments in different treatments. The result of experiment was found to be significant at level of p < or = 0.05.

Spotted bollworm, Earias vittella (Fab.), is one of the most important insect pests of cotton, and host plant resistance is an important component for the management of this pest. The antixenosis and antibiosis components of resistance to this pest in five Gossypium hirsutum (HS 6, HHH 81, PCHH 31, Somnath, SS 9) and one Gossypium arboreum (HD 107) genotypes were undertaken at 2872 C and 7075% relative humidity under laboratory conditions. The larval period ranged from 8.2 to 9.2 days on buds and 9.2-12.2 days on bolls of different cotton genotypes. The mean larval period irrespective of food was significantly shorter in G. arboreum as compared to G. hirsutum cultivars. Pre-oviposition period (2.42 days) was longer on G. arboreum genotype than on G. hirsutum genotypes (1.44-2.00 days), while the reverse was true for oviposition and post-oviposition periods. Larval survival, pupation, adult emergence, fecundity, incubation period, and egg hatchability were significantly lower on G. arboreum than on G. hirsutum. The first-and third-instar larvae of spotted bollworm preferred buds than bolls in both, G. arboreum and G. hirsutum genotypes. Multi-choice assays on larval preference for buds and bolls among different genotypes revealed that the preference for buds of G. arboreum was significantly higher by the first-instar and lower by the third-instar larvae than the G. hirsutum variety and hybrids. G. hirsutum cultivars were more preferred than the G. arboreum variety, and among the plant parts the lower leaf surface, buds and bolls were preferred over the other plant parts for egg laying by the female. The interactions between E. vittella larvae and cotton genotypes are quite diverse, and there is a distinct possibility for increasing the levels and diversifying the basis of resistance to this pest by intensive breeding program.

Donkeys support rural livelihoods and low-income farmer's family by providing economy at minimal maintenance cost. In India, donkeys constitute about 28% of total equine population but these are non-descript local donkeys without any breed characterization. This study describes phenotypic diversity among different donkey populations available in various agro-climatic regions in India including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, J&K, Haryana, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh for their phenotypic clustering as a distinct breed(s) by considering each population as a separate cluster.Biometric indices of seven local donkey populations were recorded and compared to French Poitou donkey breed which revealed that average body length of donkeys from Spiti, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Baramati, Bihar, Haryana and Leh areas was 97. 09, 101.18, 97.60, 103.68, 96.31, 109 & 95.76 cm, respectively, while Poitou donkeys had significantly higher length(138.79 cm) than indigenous donkey populations. Further height at wither revealed that except leh donkey population, the rest of the donkeys prevalent throughout different agro-climatic regions met a "small standard' pattern. Donkey populations from Leh were fitted in 'Miniature' donkey pattern. All local donkeys were well adapted to their agroclimatic environment and ecology as they were totally dependent upon the grass cover and roughages available within their reach for meeting their nutritional requirement. Coat colour varied across different regions. Black and brown colours were prevalent in donkeys from cold desert regions including Leh and Spiti region. Face length of donkeys from Spiti, Gujarat and Baramati were at par with each other while donkeys from Leh had smallest face length. Cluster analysis based on biometric indices revealed that exotic Poitou donkeys is an out-group as it formed a distinct cluster while Indigenous donkeys belonging to various agro-climatic zones were grouped in three clusters namely, C1-miniature or near miniature donkeys (Leh, Spiti and Bihar regions), C2-small standard ones including donkeys from Rajasthan and Gujarat while cluster C3 having donkeys from Baramati and Haryana region. Poitou cluster was phenotypically different from Cluster 1 as Eucledean cluster distance was maximum with donkeys of this cluster, followed by cluster 2 and cluster 3. This information will be useful for breed classification of these local non-descript donkeys.