Thermal Requirement of Chickpea under Different Environments

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a thermosensitive, long day crop grown throughout the world. Chickpea commonly known as gram or Bengal gram, is most important winter season pulse crop of India. It is said to be one of the oldest pulses known and cultivated from ancient times both in Asia and Europe. Chickpea requires cool climate for its growth and development and high temperature at maturity. The optimum temperature for its growth ranges from 15°C to 25°C. In India chickpea is grown where mean daily maximum temperatures are from 22.5° to 30°C and mean daily minimum temperatures are from 7.5° to 13°C during January. Agrometeorological environment of chickpea varies with the location and accordingly its growth and development are also affected. Differences in photoperiod and mean diurrnal temperature has great effects on time of flowering. Being a leguminous crop, chickpea needs less rainfall. The deep rooted system makes it a preferred crop in dry tracts receiving an annual rainfall of 600-1000 mm. Water logging at any stage of growth may destroy the crop. However it responds to light irrigation at flowering and grain filling stages.