Cicer arietinum

Cicer arietinum is a fast-growing annual reaching 0.6 m (2 ft) tall, hardy to UK zone 9 and not frost tender. It flowers June to July with seeds ripening August to September. The hermaphrodite plant fixes atmospheric nitrogen. It prefers light sandy and medium loamy well-drained soils across mildly acidic to very alkaline pH and requires full sun. The plant tolerates both drought and moist conditions.

Description

An annual legume herb. Plants are 40-60 cm high and all parts are hairy. It is erect with many branches. Plants are often bluish green in colour. Plants have a strong taproot. The root carries many nodules. The leaves are 5 cm long. It has leaves made up of 9-15 pairs of leaflets along a stalk and a single leaflet at the end. The leaflets are 1-2 cm long by 0.3-1.4 cm wide and strongly pointed and with a saw toothed edge. The flowers can be white, pink or purple. The flowers are carried singly on long stalks in the axils of leaves. The flowers normally never open and are self pollinated. The pods are inflated. Pods are 2-3 cm long and have 1 or 2 seeds. The seeds are angular and up to 1 cm across. They have a pointed beak. The seed colour can vary from brown, white, red or black. There are many named cultivated varieties.

Edible Uses

The seeds can be eaten raw or cooked — fresh or dried seeds work well in soups and stews, offering a mildly sweet flavour and a floury texture somewhat reminiscent of sweet chestnuts. Mature seeds can be sprouted and eaten raw, and parched seeds make a satisfying snack. Ground into a meal, the seed can be mixed with cereal flours for bread and cakes. The seed is a good source of carbohydrates and protein. Roasted seeds serve as a coffee substitute; roasted root can also be used for this purpose. Both young seedpods and young shoots are reported to be edible, though some caution is advised given the plant's noted toxicity. A refreshing drink can be made from the acid dew that collects overnight on the hairy seedpods.

Traditional Uses

Mainly the ripe seeds are eaten. Often they are boiled and mashed. The young leaves, shoots and pods are sometimes eaten. Sprouted seeds are eaten. The seeds can be roasted, boiled or fried. They can be used in soups and stews. When roasted they can be eaten as a snack. It is used to make flour. It is used in hummus, coucous, falafel, and used in pita bread. They are fermented into miso and tempeh. The roasted roots and seeds are used as a coffee substitute.

Medicinal Uses

An acid exudation from the seedpods is astringent and has been used to treat dyspepsia, constipation, and snakebite.

Known Hazards

The foliage and seedpods contain oxalic acid and can irritate the skin. There is also one report that the foliage is poisonous - this might relate to the oxalic acid. Oxalic acid can lock up certain nutrients in the diet, especially calcium, and therefore heavy use of foods that contain this substance can lead to nutritional deficiencies. Cooking will greatly reduce the oxalic acid content. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since the oxalic acid can aggravate their condition.

Distribution

A subtropical crop. It suits high altitudes in the tropics because it needs cold nights with dew. It is well suited to semi arid regions. It can tolerate salt and drought. It does not do well in warm, humid places. It needs well drained soil. It is damaged by frost. For best growth, night temperatures between 18-26°C and day temperatures of 21-29°C, are required. The temperature range of 8°C between day and night is required. Rainfall of 600-750 mm and a relative humidity of 20-40% is suitable. The best pH is 5.5-7.5 but they will grow on alkaline soils. In Nepal they are grown up to 1300 m altitude. In Ethiopia it grows between 1,600-2,200 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 8-11.

Where It Grows

Afghanistan, Africa, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Asia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Balkans, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bulgaria, Canada, Caribbean, Caucasus, Central Africa, Central America, Central Asia, Chile, China, Colombia, Congo DR, Costa Rica, Cuba, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, East Africa, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Europe, Fiji, France, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kurdistan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Madeira, Malawi, Mauritius, Mediterranean, Mexico, Middle East, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Palestine, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Romania, Russia, SE Asia, Serbia, Slovenia, Somalia, Southern Africa, South America, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey*, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uganda, USA, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, West Indies, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Requires a hot sunny position, tolerating drought once established. Prefers a light well-drained fertile soil. Tolerates a pH in the range 5.5 to 8.6. Plants are hardy to about -25°c when covered by snow. This suggests that plants can be autumn sown - some trials are called for, especially of some of the hardier cultivars. The chickpea is widely cultivated in warm temperate and tropical areas for its edible seed. There are many named varieties, some of which should be suitable for cultivation in Britain. Plants only succeed outdoors in Britain in hot summers. Plants are about as hardy as broad beans but they often do not succeed in mild moist maritime climates because the seedpods are hairy and this holds moisture. The moisture then encourages fungal growth and the seed usually rots before it is fully mature. Plants require 4 - 6 months with moderately warm dry conditions if they are to crop well. This species has a symbiotic relationship with certain soil bacteria, these bacteria form nodules on the roots and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby. When removing plant remains at the end of the growing season, it is best to only remove the aerial parts of the plant, leaving the roots in the ground to decay and release their nitrogen. In cooler zones (e.g. Zones 6–7), chickpeas can still be grown as a spring-sown annual once the risk of frost has passed, but yields may be lower or the crop may mature late in the season.

Propagation

Sow seed in situ in April or May under cloches. Chickpeas can germinate at lower temperatures than broad beans, raising the question of whether an early spring or even autumn sowing outdoors might succeed.

Other Uses

Chickpeas fix atmospheric nitrogen through symbiosis with Mesorhizobium bacteria in their root nodules, enriching soil fertility and making them valuable in crop rotation systems to improve subsequent yields and reduce synthetic fertiliser use. Husks and leaves are sometimes used as protein-rich livestock fodder. Modified chickpea proteins can be used to create biodegradable films and coatings as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, with applications in packaging and agricultural mulch. After suitable modification, chickpea proteins can also be used in microencapsulation technology to protect sensitive ingredients, control release, and improve shelf life in pharmaceutical and food contexts. Their gelling and emulsifying properties make them candidates for use as natural adhesives or binders in industrial processes. Chickpea's symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria makes it a model system for researching plant-microbe interactions and soil health. It can also be used in crop rotations to help restore degraded soils. Chickpea flour is traditionally used in some cultures as a natural exfoliant and skin cleanser. Plant residues are used in some regions as fuel or for composting.

Production

Yields of 400-1600 kg per hectare of seed, are average. Plants can reach maturity in 4.5-5 months but 7 months or longer, are taken for some types.

Other Information

It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. Very rarely grown in Papua New Guinea. It is an important crop worldwide covering 9-10 million hectares.

Notes

There are about 38 Cicer species. It is used in homus and falafel.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Bengal gram, But, Ceci, Chana, Chanaka, Chania, Channa, Chayote, Chhola, Chola, Chunna, Davulga, Egyptian pea, Garbanzo, Garvance, Hamsa, Harbara, Hiyoko mame, Hummus, Indian gram, Kadalai, Kadale, Kala-pe, Mukhudo, Myinsa-pe, Navadna čičerika, Nhana, Pitipoankarany, Pois chiche, Sanagalu, Singaung-pe, Ying zui dou

References (55)

• Ambasta, S.P. (Ed.), 2000, The Useful Plants of India. CSIR India. p 123
• Anderson, E. F., 1993, Plants and people of the Golden Triangle. Dioscorides Press. p 206
• Ara, R. I. T., 2015, Leafy Vegetables in Bangladesh. Photon eBooks. p 63
• Beckstrom-Sternberg, Stephen M., and James A. Duke. "The Foodplant Database." http://probe.nalusda.gov:8300/cgi-bin/browse/foodplantdb.(ACEDB version 4.0 - data version July 1994)
• Bejiga, G. & van der Maesen, L.J.G., 2006. Cicer arietinum L. [Internet] Record from Protabase. Brink, M. & Belay, G. (Editors). PROTA (Plant Resources of Tropical Africa), Wageningen, Netherlands. < http://database.prota.org/search.htm>. Accessed 14 October 2009.

More from Fabaceae

Arachis glabrata

Perennial peanut

Arachis gracilis

Arachis guaranitica

Arachis hatschbachii

Arachis hermannii

Arachis hoehnei