The chickpeas, also known as a garbanzo bean, ceci bean, sanagalu, chana, hummus and Bengal gram has an interesting fact behind its name. It’s called Chickpea because it looks like baby chick. This pulse is estimated to be at least 7,500 years old and was originally cultivated at Mesopotamia and The eastern Mediterranean. Currently, it is grown in India, Middle East and various parts of Africa. This highly nutritious pulse is ranked third in the important list of the food legumes that are cultivated throughout the world. Chickpeas have mainly two types i.e. Desi and Kabuli.
India is the largest producer of Chickpeas and approx 80-90% supply of Chickpeas to the world is from India.
Seeding of Chickpeas can be done into standing or tilted stubble and fallow. Kabuli chickpeas are planted when soil temperature at a depth of 2 inches to 3 inches reaches at least 10ºC while Desi types are planted in soil that is 4 ºC or above to reduce soil-burn diseases.
Chickpea is an annual crop, cultivated in cool season. Fertile sandy & loam soil in various parts of India provide perfect condition for Chickpea growth. Indian weather conditions of 21 ºC to 26 ºC daytime temperatures and 17 ºC to 21 ºC night temperatures also favor this crop. Chickpeas have deep tap root system so they can endure drought conditions by extracting water from deeper soil. Maturing time require for Chickpeas is 120 days.
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| (unranked) | Angiosperms |
| (unranked) | Eudicots |
| (unranked) | Rosids |
| Order | Fabales |
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Genus | Cicer |
| Species | C. arietinum |
| Binomial name | Cicer arietinum L. |
Varieties of Chickpeas
There are mainly two types of Chickpeas: Desi and Kabuli. This classification is based on seed size, colour, thickness and shape of the seed coat.
Desi Chickpeas are smaller, angular seeds with thick seed coats that range in colour from light tan and speckled to solid black. This type of Chickpea is mainly grown in India, Bangladesh, parts of Pakistan, Ethiopia, Mexico, and Iran. Desi Chickpeas are the most widely grown under dry land.
Kabuli chickpeas have larger seeds with paper thin seed coats that range in colour from white to pale cream to tan. Kabuli Chickpeas is mainly cultivated in Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Chile, also introduced during the 18th century to India.
In compare with Kabuli chickpeas, Desi chickpeas have a markedly higher fiber content and hence a very low glycemic index which may make them suitable for people with blood sugar problems.
| State | Recommended Varieties |
|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | ICCV-2, ICCV-37, ICCV-4, ICCV-10 |
| Assam | KWR-108, BG-256, L-550, KPG-59 |
| Gujarat | Pusa-319, Vijay, ICCV-4, Pusa-240, GG-1, Pusa-1053 |
| Haryana | Haryana Chana-1, GNG-469, Pusa-362, Gora Hisari, Karnal Chana, Gaurav, H-208, H-335, Pusa-1053 |
| Himachal Pradesh | BBG-1, Haryana Chana-1, L-550 |
| Jammu & Kashmi | GNG-469, L-550, PBG-1, Haryana Chana-1 |
| Karnataka | BDN 9-3, ICCV-10, ICCV-2 Annegiri-1 |
| Punjab | PBG-1, GNG-469, Haryana Chana-1, Gaurav, L-550, C-235, G-543, Pusa-1053, GPF-2, PDG-3 |
| Rajasthan | GNG-416, GNG-469, GNG-663, PBG-1, L-550, Pusa-256, RSG-44, Pusa-1053, PDG 84-1 |
| Tamil Nadu | ICCV-10, BDN 9-3, CO-3, CO-4 |
| Uttar Pradesh | KWR-108, Avrodhi, BG-256, K-850, Pant G-186, Pusa-372, Radhey, JG-315, Uday (KPG-75), Pusa-1003, Pusa-1053 |
| Madhya Pradesh | JG-74, JG-315, Vijay, Pusa-256, Phule G-5, Pusa-1053 |
| Maharashtra | Vijay, Phule G-5, Vishal, ICCV-10, Pusa-1053 |
| Orissa | Radhey, ICCV-10, L-550, Pusa-372, Pusa-1003 |
| West Bengal | Pusa-372, KWR-108, KPG-59, BG-256, Pusa-1003 |
| Bihar | KWR-108, Avrodhi, BG-256, Pant G-114, Pusa-209, L-550, Pusa-1003 |
| North Eastern States | KWR-108, Avrodhi, KPG-59, BG-256 |
Here is brief idea of state wise Chickpeas varieties:
Desi Chickpeas varieties
| Type | Maturity duration(days) | Specification | Yield potential(quintals / hectare) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avrodhi | 150-155 | · Medium tall · Semi erect · Brown colour | 25-30 |
| Pant G-186 | 125 | 22-25 | |
| Gaurav | 140-145 | · Medium · Semi erect · Grain is bold and brownish yellow | 23-30 |
| Uday (KP -75) | 140-145 | · Medium size · Brown colour | 20-25 |
| Pusa-256 | 145-150 | · Bold and brown colour | 22-25 |
| Pusa – 362 | 145-155 | · Medium size | 25-30 |
| Pusa-372 | 120-140 | · Medium size · Susceptible to wilt diseases | 18-22 |
| JG-315 | 145-150 | · Resistance to wilt disease | 25-30 |
| Haryana Chana-1 | 135-145 | · Grain colour is Bright yellow · Resistance to wilt disease | 22-25 |
| Gora Hisari | 140-150 | · Bold and light brown · Suitable for irrigated areas only | 18-20 |
| K-850 | 145-150 | · Seeds are round, smooth, reddish-brown | 25-30 |
| Pant G-114 | 150 | · Seeds are brown | 30-35 |
| H-208 | · Seeds are brown and medium bold | 25-30 | |
| H-355 | 160 | · Seeds are small and brownish-yellow | 20-25 |
| Radhey | 150 | · Smooth, light brown and bold | 25-30 |
| C-235 | 145-150 | · Yellowish-brown in colour · Medium size | 30-35 |
| G-543 | · Grow in Punjab and Haryana | 20-25 | |
| BR -78 | 142-145 | · Green and medium size seed | 20 |
| ST-4 | 155-158 | · Brown seeded · Semi spreading | 20-25 |
| RS-10 | 155-158 | · Brown seeded · Semi spreading | 20-25 |
| RS-11 | Medium | · Medium bold · Brown color | 20-25 |
| PUSA-209 | 145-165 | · Medium bold · Light brown | 25-30 |
| BDN-9-3 | 95-100 | · Yellowish-brown seed | 10-12 |
| Annegri-1 | 100 | · Yellowish-brown seeds · Medium size | 10-15 |
| Phule G-5 | · Pink seeded variety · Medium size · Round smooth seed coat | 12-15 | |
| C-3 | 90-100 | · Seeds are yellowish-brown · Medium size | 15 |
| B-124 | 135-140 | · Small seeded variety | 24 |
Kabuli Chickpeas varieties
| Type | Maturity duration (days) | Specification | Yield potential (quintals / hectare) |
|---|---|---|---|
| C-104 | 170 | Salmon colour Very bold seeds are creamy white Double the size of desi gram | 15-20 |
| L-550 | 160 | Very early flowering among all the kabuli types | 18-22 |
| L-144 | Seeds are bold and whitish-orange | 12-15 | |
| Pusa-1003 | 130-135 | Extra bold seeds Resistance to wilt disease | 25 |
| Pusa-1053 | 130-140 | Extra bold seeds Essential to wilt disease | 25 |
| Sadabahar | 145-160 | Green colour grain |
Grade specification of Chickpeas
Desi Chickpeas Specification
| Desi Chickpeas | Values |
|---|---|
| Foreign Matter | 1% |
| Green (Cotyledon color), Immature, shrunken, shriveled seeds | 3% |
| Broken and Splits | 2% |
| Damaged and Weeviled | 3% (Weeviled 2% max.) |
| Moisture | 10% |
| Varietal Admixture | 3% (max) |
HS Code: 07132000
Kabuli Chickpeas Specification
| Chickpeas | 75/80 counts | 58/60 counts | 44/46 counts | 42/44 counts | 40/42 counts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moisture (V/W) | 12% max. | 12% max. | 12% max. | 12% max. | 12% max. |
| Broken/Split/Insect Infested | 2.5% max. | 2% max. | 2% max. | 2% max. | 2% max. |
| Aborted/Green/Brown Seeds | 6.5% max | 2% max. | 1%max. | 1% max. | 1% max. |
| Stained Seeds | 6.5% max | 1%max. | 0.5% max | 0.5% max | 0.5% max |
| Smooth Seeds | 6.5% (max) | 1%max. | 0.5% max | 0.5% max | 0.5% max |
| Extra. Foreign matter (by weight) | 0.2% max | 0.2% max | 0.2% max | 0.2% max | 0.2% max |
| Weevil Damage | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Total Defects (by weight) | 9.2% max | 6.2% max | 4.2%max | 4.2%max | 4.2%max |
HS Code: 07132000
Nutrition Fact
Desi Seed | Kabuli Seed | Chickpea Straw |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein (%) | 20.5 | 19.7 | 4.5 - 6.5 |
| TDN (%) | 44 - 46 |
||
| D.E. (swine) (Kcal/kg) | 3200-3400 | 3400-3500 | |
| M.E. (swine) (Kcal/kg) | 2980-3170 | 3170-3260 | |
| Crude Fibre (%) | 9.1 | 3.4 | |
| Fat (E.E.) (%) | 4.8 | 7.3 | |
| Lysine (%) | 1.37 | 1.29 | |
| Methionine (%) | 0.31 | 0.26 | |
| Threonine (%) | 0.73 | 0.66 |
Moreover Chickpeas are an excellent source of Fiber, Folic Acid (Folate), Iron, Manganese, Copper and good source of Iron and Phosphorus. To lower cholesterol chickpeas are best option as they have high protein and fiber.
Usage in daily life
Chickpeas are one of the most popular vegetarian foods; this can be prepared in varieties of ways for ‘n’ number of dishes. Unripe chickpeas can be eaten raw while mature chickpeas cooked and eaten in salad. This can also cooked and ground into a paste (hummus). Chole-bhature is the famous Indian cuisine made from Kabuli Chickpeas. Split chickpeas are used to make dal. In Philippines, chickpea are preserved and served as sweet even they can be fermented to male alcoholic drink and also brewed as a coffee substitute.
In U.S. common use of chickpeas is to use as an ingredient in soups while in North America, main use of Kabuli chickpeas is to make salad. Chickpeas are also marketed dry chickpeas and ground flour for baking purpose.