Samples are available on request. Cultivation and adaptation Chickpea is grown mostly as a rainfed, postrainy season, winter crop in subtropical south Asia, parts of Africa, and Australia. It is a spring season crop in the temperate and mediterranean types of climates. In traditional production systems of Asia and Africa it was grown as an intercrop, but in recent years it is mostly cultivated as a sole crop. In low input traditional production systems chickpea has been a preferred crop because of its minimal dependence on monetary inputs of N and P-containing fertilizers, irrigation, and agrochemicals in general.
Chickpea is known to confer contribute to sustainability to cropping systems.
Also, the genetic yield potential of the crop seems to have reached ceiling levels in the last two to three decades. This offers large scope for improvement and stability of yield. The major thrust is on strategic research, covered under the first three subprojects. Research on opportunities for increasing BNF benefits to increase chickpea yield, and its contribution to sustainability of production systems are also included in this subproject. The research thrust is on the development of intermediary products, combining high yield with multiple stress resistance.