Chickpea

Cicer arietinum

grainannual Zone 4–9

Cool-season annual pulse (food legume) grown for dry edible seeds, eaten as the kabuli type (large cream/white seed; sold as garbanzo bean) or the desi type (smaller pigmented seed; often split into chana dal). Globally one of the most important pulses (~17 million metric tons produced annually) and well adapted to semi-arid Zones 4-9 with cool springs and warm, dry seed-fill. Performs best on deep, well-drained loam soils at pH 6.0-8.0 and tolerates a broad pH range (5.3-8.5). Typical season is 100-130 days; requires roughly 110-130 frost-free days.

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Crop Snowflake Score

Overview

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a self-pollinated cool-season grain legume in the Fabaceae. It is direct-seeded in spring once soil temperatures at seeding depth reach ~5°C (41°F) for desi types and ~10°C (50°F) for kabuli types; recommended seeding depth is 3.5-6 cm (1.5-2.5 in). Plant populations are commonly 4-5 plants/ft² (43-54 plants/m²) for kabuli and 5-6 plants/ft² for desi, drilled in 6-12 inch rows. Like other pulses, chickpea fixes atmospheric nitrogen in symbiosis with Mesorhizobium ciceri — inoculation with the specific rhizobial strain is essential at first cropping. Starter N is generally not recommended; phosphorus and potassium should match soil tests. Optimum daytime temperatures during vegetative growth are 21-29°C (70-85°F); flowering and pod-fill prefer mild conditions and adequate moisture (about 15-25 cm / 6-10 inches of growing-season precipitation suits the crop). Maturity is reached when ~90% of pods turn tan and seeds rattle; combining is done at 14-18% seed moisture and dried/stored at ≤14%. The crop's most important pathology is Ascochyta blight (Ascochyta rabiei), which can cause complete yield loss in wet years — variety resistance, certified disease-free seed, seed treatment, and timely foliar fungicides are the management package. Fusarium wilt, Sclerotinia, root rots, and pea aphid are additional pests. Common rotations are with cereals (wheat, barley) and oilseeds; chickpea should not follow pulses or canola within 3-4 years to manage disease. Typical rainfed yields in the northern Great Plains are 1,200-2,000 lb/acre, with irrigated and high-management fields exceeding 2,500 lb/acre.

Growing Season

Plant: Mid-spring once soils reach 5-10°C at seeding depth – Late spring (before late May in short-season regions)
Harvest: Late summer (≈100-130 days after seeding) – Early fall, at 14-18% seed moisture
Frost-free days: 110+
GDD (base 50°F): 1,400 – 1,800

Yield

Typical yield: 1,500 lb/acre (dry seed, clean)
Productive lifespan: 1 years
Years to full prod.: 1

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