Chickpea

Chickpea is grown mainly as a dry pulse crop, harvested at full maturity for its seed, and is a staple protein source in many diets, particularly across South Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.

Because desi and kabuli types differ in seed characteristics, market destination, and, to some extent, regional adaptation, cultivar market type is a central choice in production planning.

Family

Fabaceae (legume family)

Genus and species

Cicer arietinum

Root system

Taproot bearing nodules that host nitrogen-fixing Mesorhizobium bacteria

Chickpea was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent, in what is now southeastern Turkey, as one of the founder crops of Near Eastern agriculture, and spread in antiquity to South Asia and the Mediterranean, regions that remain major production centers.

Current statistics on planted area, production, and trade by country are compiled by FAO and national agricultural agencies and should be consulted directly for up-to-date figures.

Chickpea is grown as a rainfed winter or spring crop depending on region, and it is comparatively drought-tolerant relative to many other pulses, though yield remains sensitive to terminal drought and heat during pod fill.

Frost can damage flowers and young pods in exposed sowings, so planting timing is set locally to balance the benefit of a longer growing season against frost risk at flowering.

Chickpea performs best on well-drained loams of moderate fertility. It is sensitive to waterlogging, which restricts root and nodule development and is associated with increased pressure from soilborne disease, particularly Fusarium wilt.

Chickpea is direct-seeded, and seed is often treated with a compatible Mesorhizobium inoculant in fields without a recent history of chickpea production. Rotation with cereals is a standard practice in semi-arid cropping systems to help manage soilborne disease.

• Market type selection (desi or kabuli) matched to intended market and regional adaptation
• Inoculation with compatible Mesorhizobium strains in fields new to chickpea production
• Crop rotation with cereals to manage soilborne diseases, particularly Fusarium wilt
• Planting timing balanced against local frost risk at flowering

Biological nitrogen fixation can supply a significant share of the crop’s nitrogen requirement where nodulation is effective. Phosphorus availability is often a limiting factor, particularly on alkaline soils common in many chickpea-growing regions.

Chickpea roots deeply and is grown largely on stored soil moisture, which is why it occupies the drier end of the pulse rotation. Ascochyta blight is the constraint that most often decides the crop: it is seed-borne and splashed through the canopy by rain, so a wet season in a susceptible variety can take a crop that had adequate water and nutrition.

Where irrigation is available, crop water requirements are estimated from evapotranspiration and local climate data, following reference methods published by FAO and national agricultural agencies.

Fusarium wilt is widely regarded as the single most damaging disease of chickpea, and gray mold (Botrytis) can cause significant losses under humid conditions, particularly in dense canopies. Aphids and root-knot nematodes are among the notable pests affecting the crop.

Management combines resistant cultivars, crop rotation, field monitoring, and, where warranted, locally authorized control measures applied according to their labels.

Chickpea is harvested once pods and foliage have dried at maturity, by combining or, in some smallholder systems, by hand pulling. Shattering and lodging can cause losses, so harvest timing and method are matched to local conditions and equipment.

• Dry seed used whole, split, or ground into flour in a wide range of dishes
• Canned chickpeas and prepared foods such as hummus and falafel
• Roasted chickpeas as a snack food in some markets
• Crop residues used in some regions as animal feed