Chickpea

Cicer arietinum

1. Identification and origin

The chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), belonging to the Fabaceae family, is an annual legume native to the Fertile Crescent region, with domestication dating back more than 7,000 years. The crop spread throughout Asia, the Mediterranean and Africa, and is currently one of the most important food legumes in the world. There are two major commercial groups: Desi (small, dark seeds) and Kabuli (larger, light-coloured seeds).

2. Economic importance

It is widely used in human food, especially in countries of South Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. It stands out for its high protein content, fibre and nutritional value. India is the world's largest producer, followed by Australia, Turkey, Myanmar and Ethiopia. In the Mediterranean, including Portugal, it is grown in extensive rainfed systems.

3. Botanical characterisation

An annual plant, low-growing (20–60 cm), with a branched stem and pinnate compound leaves. The flowers are small, white, pink or bluish, and self-pollinating. The pods are inflated, containing 1–2 globular or angular seeds. The root system is deep, conferring good drought tolerance. As a legume, it establishes a symbiosis with Rhizobium ciceri, fixing atmospheric nitrogen.

4. Soil and climate requirements

It adapts well to semi-arid and Mediterranean climates, with low rainfall during the cycle. It prefers moderate temperatures (15–25 °C) and is sensitive to frost, especially at flowering. It requires well-drained soils, of medium to light texture, with a pH between 6.0 and 8.0. It does not tolerate waterlogging, which favours root diseases.

5. Main pests

• Caterpillars (Noctuidae, Helicoverpa armigera): boreholes in pods and seeds.
• Aphids (Aphis craccivora): sap sucking and virus transmission.
• Chickpea leafminer (Liriomyza cicerina): leaf mines and reduction of the photosynthetic area.
• Pulse beetle (Callosobruchus chinensis): storage pest.
• Nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.): root galls and reduction of vigour.

6. Main diseases

• Wilt caused by Fusarium (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris): a serious disease, causing wilting and death of plants.
• Anthracnose (Colletotrichum truncatum): lesions on stems, leaves and pods.
• Ascochyta (Ascochyta rabiei): leaf spots and necrosis on stems and pods.
• Root rots (Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotium rolfsii): wilting and death of seedlings.
• Powdery mildew (Erysiphe pisi): white coating on the leaves in dry conditions.

7. General crop management

It includes the choice of varieties adapted to the local climate and resistant to diseases, sowing in well-drained soils, crop rotation with cereals to reduce pathogen pressure, inoculation with specific Rhizobium when necessary, weed control in the early stages, monitoring of pests and diseases, and harvesting when the pods reach physiological maturity. Avoiding sowing in wet or cold soils is essential to prevent root diseases.

Bibliographic references

• EPPO Global Database. Cicer arietinum – pests and diseases.
• CABI Invasive Species Compendium. Cicer arietinum – datasheets.
• Singh, K. B., & Reddy, M. V. (1996). Chickpea. In: Evans, L. T. (Ed.), Crop Evolution, Adaptation and Yield. Cambridge University Press.
• Varshney, R. K., et al. (2013). Chickpea. In: Smith, S., et al. (Eds.), Yield Gains in Major U.S. Field Crops. ASA–CSSA–SSSA.
• Gaur, P. M., et al. (2012). Breeding chickpea for higher yields. In: Janick, J. (Ed.), Plant Breeding Reviews. Wiley.