Against the backdrop of the second wave of COVID‐19 pandemic in India that started in March 2021, we have monitored the spike (S) protein mutations in all the reported (GISAID portal) whole‐genome sequences of SARS‐CoV‐2 circulating in India from 1 January 2021 to 31 August 2021. In the 43,102 SARS‐CoV‐2 genomic sequences analysed, we have identified 24,260 amino acid mutations in the S protein, based on which 265 Pango lineages could be categorized. The dominant lineage in most of the 28 states of India and its 8 union territories was B.1.617.2 (the delta variant). However, the states Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Punjab had B.1.1.7 (alpha variant) as the major lineage, while the Himachal Pradesh state reported B.1.36 as the dominating lineage. A detailed analysis of various domains of S protein was carried out for detecting mutations having a prevalence of >1%; 70, 18, 7, 3, 9, 4, and 1 ( N = 112) such mutations were observed in the N‐terminal domain, receptor binding domain, C ‐terminal domain, fusion peptide region, heptapeptide repeat (HR)‐1 domains, signal peptide domain, and transmembrane region, respectively. However, no mutations were recorded in the HR‐2 and cytoplasmic domains of the S protein. Interestingly, 13.39% ( N = 15) of these mutations were reported to increase the infectivity and pathogenicity of the virus; 2% ( N = 3) were known to be vaccine breakthrough mutations, and 0.89% ( N = 1) were known to escape neutralizing antibodies. The biological significance of 82% ( N = 92) of the reported mutations is yet unknown. As SARS‐CoV‐2 variants are emerging rapidly, it is critical to continuously monitor local viral mutations to understand national trends of virus circulation. This can tremendously help in designing better preventive regimens in the country, and avoid vaccine breakthrough infections.

Sexed semen can be used to produce offspring of the desired sex, and to produce replacement heifers from genetically superior cows. In the Indian dairy industry, this revolutionary technique is in its budding stage. The objective of this study was to assess quantitative and qualitative parameters of a) bovine cryopreserved sexed (for X sperm cells) (XS) spermatozoa produced through two different major commercial semen sorting techniques, and b) unsexed (US) spermatozoa of Bos indicus and Bos taurus breeds. By real-time PCR, it was found that the percentage of X chromosome bearing spermatozoa ranged from 62.88%±0.56 to 71.21±0.93 in US semen samples of four different cattle breeds: Holstein Friesian (HF), Jersey, Gir and Sahiwal. The corresponding values in semen sorted through flow cytometry technique ranged from 99.02% ±3.36 to 99.99%±4.56 in the above four cattle breeds; while the percentage of XS semen obtained through the decapitation of Y chromosome following sorting by flow cytometry ranged from 95.92% ±1.83 to 97.99%±2.74. Qualitatively, US sperm samples were found significantly (P<0.01) superior with high semen motility (65.98% ± 0.23), acrosomal integrity (75.28% ± 0.05), live spermatozoa (67.83% ± 0.42), and less sperm abnormalities (13.82% ± 0.02) than sexed semen samples. This is the first study to compare the quantitative and qualitative parameters of XS and US semen samples of major cattle breeds in India and adds significantly to the knowledge on semen sexing in Indian dairy industry.