Disjoint Dunford-Pettis-type properties in Banach lattices

New characterizations of the disjoint Dunford-Pettis property of order $p$ (disjoint $DPP_p$) are proved and applied to show that a Banach lattice of cotype $p$ has the disjoint $DPP_p$ whenever its dual has this property. The disjoint Dunford-Pettis$^*$ property of order $p$ (disjoint $DP^*P_p$) is thoroughly investigated. Close connections with the positive Schur property of order $p$, with the disjoint $DPP_p$, with the $p$-weak $DP^*$ property and with the positive $DP^*$ property of order $p$ are established. In a final section we study the polynomial versions of the disjoint $DPP_p$ and of the disjoint $DP^*P_p$.