The cultivated chickpea, cicer arietinum L., and seven wild annual cicer species, viz. C. reticulatum, C. chinospermum, C. pinnatifidum, C. Judaicum, C bijugum, C.chorassanicum, and C. cuneatum were studied to gain information to assist in gene transfer through interspecific hybridization. Studies included investigation of pre-fertilization barrier(s) and cytogenetic study of interspecific hybrids. Species relationships among the annual cicer species were investigated by karyotyping, electron microscopy of pollen grains, pollen-pistil interaction studies and based on the results of interspecific hybridization. The hybrids were characterized morphologically, cytologically and by electron microscopy of pollen grains. It was concluded that the genetic variability present in C. reticulatum and C. chinospermum could be presently utilized with little or no difficulty for the genetic improvement of the cultivated chickpea. However utilization of genetic variability in the remaining five wild species will have to await development of appropriate in vitro technology to overcome the strong post-fertilization barrier(s) to interspecific hybridizatio
