February 20, 2006	Monday	Muharram 21, 1427

Chickpea (gram) Cicer arietinum is an important crop mostly cultivated in Punjab followed by Sindh and the NWFP. Barani Punjab contributes 80 per cent towards the total production and in Sindh it is mostly grown as dobari crop on the residual moisture after rice.

Cultivation of gram as a dobari crop not only increases the income of farmers but also supplements the fertility of soil. This crop is grown in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate regions.

About 56 per cent of the crop is retained by the grower for local consumption. The seeds are eaten fresh as green vegetables, parched, fried, roasted, and boiled; as snack food, sweet and condiments; seeds are ground and the flour can be used as soup, dhal, and to make bread.

Animal feed is another use of chickpea in many developing countries. Gram husks and green or dried stems and leaves are used for stock feed; whole seeds may be milled directly. There are two groups depending on seed size, shape and colour. The large-seeded are called “Kabuli” and small ones “Desi.”

Chickpea has one of the highest nutritional compositions of any dry edible legume and does not contain any specific major anti-nutritional factors. On an average, seed contains 23 per cent protein, 64 per cent total carbohydrates, 47 per cent starch, five per cent fat, six per cent crude fibre, six per cent soluble sugar and three per cent ash.

The mineral component is high in phosphorus (340 mg/100g), calcium (190 mg/100g), magnesium (140 mg/100g), iron (7 mg/100g) and zinc (3 mg/100g). Chickpea protein digestibility is the highest. Among the food legumes, chickpea is the most hypocholesteremic agent; germinated chickpea is reported to be effective in controlling cholesterol level in rats.

Medicinal applications include use for aphrodisiac, bronchitis, catarrh, cutamenia, cholera, constipation, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, flatulence, snakebite, sunstroke, and warts. Acids are supposed to lower the blood cholesterol levels. Seeds are considered antibilious.

Chickpea can be cultivated as a sole crop or mixed with barley, lathyrus (grasspea), linseed, mustard, peas, corn, coffee, safflower, potato, sweet potato, sorghum, or wheat.

In rotation it often follows rice, wheat, barley. Chickpeas are also grown as a catch crop in sugarcane fields and as a second crop after rice. It does not leave a lot of residue. Cereal crops with tall stubble grown before and after chickpea provide much needed residue to protect the soil from erosion.

 The scientists recommended that chickpea should not be planted in the same field more than once in four years to allow for the breakdown of residue on which the disease survives. The crop is heat-tolerant and thrives under good moisture conditions.

 It is also drought-tolerant due to long tap root which allows it to use water from greater depths than other pulse crops. Kabuli chickpea has a very thin seed coat and is easily infected by soil-borne fungi. Warmer soil is required for rapid germination and emergence of seedlings. Generally saline soils are not suitable for gram cultivation.

One deep ploughing followed by gobble or cultivator and planking is necessary for achieving better production. In Barani areas, sowing of seeds should be done on the already conserved moisture without any land preparation.

Chickpeas are propagated from seeds. Drilling is the most suitable method. During sowing care should be taken that land should neither be too wet nor dry. Both these conditions lead to poor germination of crop.

Chickpea has the ability to fix 60-80 per cent of its nitrogen requirement from the atmosphere under ideal conditions. It is important to note that the excessive use of nitrogen fertilizer or high levels of available soil nitrogen reduces nitrogen fixation and may delay maturity. 

During early stages, chickpea grows slowly therefore, weeds may dominate the crop if proper control measures are not practiced. Crop can be completely devastated by weeds if infestation is severe.

Depending upon the severity of the problem, one or two weeding within 30-60 days after planting is recommended. Deep ploughing before seeding also reduces the weed infestation.

Harvesting should be done when 80-90 per cent pods are mature because excessive maturity results in the shattering of crop and it should be done in the morning. The crop should be left in the field in small scattered heaps for four to five days.

Fully dried plants should be threshed with wheat/gram thresher. Seeds should be stored in sun till the moisture is lowered to 10 per cent. Excessive moisture in grains results in the attack of insects and fungi. Dried seed should be stored in new gunny bags.

The main fungi that affect chickpea are Fusarium oxysporum causing the plant to wilt. This disease is seen after 10-15 days of germination. This is the soil borne fungi and attacks the roots resulting in losing the capability to absorb water from soil.

Ascochyta blight is another most serious disease sometimes causing l00 per cent loss. It causes brown spots on leaves, stems, pods and seeds. Ascohyta blight is highly seed-borne. Transmission of the disease from seed to seedling is common therefore, seed should be tested.

Pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera), is the most important pest and feeds on leaves and defoliates tender parts of a plant. When plants develop and set pods, they cut hole in them, enter and feed on their seeds. This pest seriously attacks the crop in the month of October and continues up to March.

Drought is the number one problem in major chickpea growing regions because the crop is grown on residual moisture and is eventually exposed to drought.