Introduction

• Scientific name: Cicer arietinum
• Family: Leguminasae
• Self-pollinated crop.

Importance

• Dried seeds as dal, boiled, roasted. Soup and vegetables.
• Low protein but higher protein digestibility.
• Higher fat and better fiber digestibility.
• As green manuring or cover crops.
• Husks and bits of split-seeds used as animal feed.

Origin

a) Hel back (1970) : Hachilar and Turkey

b) De Candole (1986): Greece and Himalayas.

c) Vavilov (1926): Two center of diversity

i) South-west Asia and Mediterranean

ii) Ethiopia

Plant features

• Chickpea is herbaceous annual (plant height: 30-70 cm).
• Deep and strong tap root system. The lateral roots develop nodules.
• The nodules (slightly flattened, fan-like lobes) are visible about one month after plant emergence,
• Nodules generally confined to the top 15 cm of the surface.
• All plant parts covered with glandular hairs called trichomes except corolla.
• 5 growth habits namely erect, semi-erect, semi-spreading, spreading and prostrate.
• The erect and semi-erect varieties enable mechanical harvesting.