For help in obtaining a proper soil sample, confer with your Extension agricultural agent. This is accomplished by nodules formed on the roots of the chickpea plant. Most chickpea seed is treated with captan. This fungicide is harmful to rhizobia, so inoculating chickpea seed with rhizobia requires special handling in one of three ways. One method is to place a granular inoculum in the seed row at planting.
Several companies manufacture granular inocula.
The names of these companies are provided as sources for growers. The application rate should be between 5 and 10 pounds of granular inoculum per acre depending on the time since chickpeas were last planted in the field. Chickpea seed can be treated with a peat-based inoculum if metalaxyl is used. P fertilizer can be surface-broadcast and plowed down or tilled into the soil. It can also be banded or drilled with the seed.