International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics
Abstract
Worldwide chickpea is the 4rth largest grain-legume crop – area 11.2 million ha,
production 9.2 million tons, and productivity 0.82 t ha-1 (FAO 2005). Chickpea is
grown in 40 countries (area exceeding 10,000 ha in each country). Chickpea
productivity consistently increased in India and Mexico while it declined in many other
countries. Two types of chickpeas – desi – widely grown in South Asia and Africa and
Kabuli – widely grown in Mediterranean region are known. Large variation in chickpea
germplasm has been noted for most of the morphological/agronomic traits and for
resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, careful assessment of genetic
resources is a key to enhance utilization of genetically diverse accessions with
beneficial traits in breeding programs.......