Gram (Chickpea) (Cicer arietinum L.)

Importance

• India is the largest producer of gram in the world, contributing about 65% of global area and nearly 70% of global production.
• It is the major pulse crop in India in terms of acreage and production, followed by pigeon pea.
• Origin: Afghanistan (Persia region).

Nutritional Value

• Protein content: ~21%
• Rich source of calcium, iron, and niacin.
• Medicinal uses:
  • Used as a blood purifier.
  • Germinated seeds recommended for scurvy.

Area and Production in India

• Top States (Area): Madhya Pradesh > Rajasthan > Maharashtra > Uttar Pradesh.
• Top States (Production): Madhya Pradesh > Rajasthan > Uttar Pradesh.
• Madhya Pradesh alone contributes nearly 40% of India’s gram production.

Classification

Botanical Description

• Family: Fabaceae (sub-family: Papilionaceae)
• Root system: Strong tap root
• Photosynthesis: C3 plant, long-day type
• Flowering: Sensitive to frost during flowering
• Fruit: Pod

Key points:

• Sour taste of leaves/pods: maleic acid (90–96%) + oxalic acid (4–10%).
• Photosynthetic rate falls after flowering due to nodule degeneration.
• Overlap of vegetative and reproductive phases causes competition between leaves (source) and pods (sink).

Agronomic Practices

Management Notes:

• Deep sowing → protects from wilt disease.
• Late sowing → reduces wilt but increases pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera) infestation.
• Nipping/Topping:
  • Manual pruning at 50–60 DAS to promote reproductive growth.
  • Chemical nipping: TIBA (Tri-iodobenzoic acid) @ 75 ppm.

Varieties

Desi Gram Varieties

• Pusa-256 (BG-256) – common, rainfed conditions.
• C-235 – tolerant to Ascochyta blight, suited for dryland.
• Avrodhi – wilt resistant (like JG-74).
• Gaurav – resistant to Ascochyta blight.
• RS-11 – mutant variety.
• ICCC-2 – short duration, early maturing.
• Radhey, H-208, BG-261 – good for late planting.
• Aparna (2006) – improved short-duration variety.

Kabuli Gram Varieties

• C-104, K-4 – green seed retention, bold seeded.
• RSG-2, GNG-16 – improved kabuli varieties.

Quick Facts

• Fruit: Pod
• Sowing depth: 8–10 cm
• Seed rate: 80–100 kg/ha
• Nipping: Encourages more pod setting
• Critical stages for irrigation: Pre-flowering & Pod development
• Most drought-resistant pulse crop
• Late sowing: Reduces seedling wilt but increases seed rate by 25%

Chickpea is known as the “King of Pulses”, highly valued for its nutritional, medicinal, and agronomic importance.