Sophie Bennett
Chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, are an annual legume with a long, warm growing season. They are believed to have originated in the Mediterranean basin, specifically the Turkish region neighbouring Syria, and were domesticated around 9,000 BCE. Chickpeas are now grown in various parts of the world, including India, Canada, and North America, and are a staple in many diets due to their high nutritional value. They can be cultivated in pots or vegetable beds and require full sun, well-drained soil, and a steady water supply to thrive. The two main types of chickpeas are Desi, which is more common in the Middle East and has small, dark seeds, and Kabuli, which is prevalent in American grocery stores and has larger, lighter-coloured seeds.
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What You'll Learn
Chickpeas are an annual legume
Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are an annual legume with a long, warm growing season. They are one of the earliest cultivated legumes, having been domesticated around 9,000 BCE, and are native to the Mediterranean basin, likely in what is now Turkey and Syria. Chickpeas are a type of pulse, with one seedpod containing two or three peas. The plant grows to between 20 and 50 cm in height, though some sources state it can grow up to 1 metre, and has small, feathery leaves on either side of the stem. Its flowers are white with blue, violet, or pink veins.
There are two main types of chickpeas: Kabuli and Desi. The Kabuli type is bigger and lighter in colour, while the Desi type is darker and smaller. The Desi type also has a higher fibre content. Chickpeas are susceptible to infestation by the insect pest cotton bollworm (*Helicoverpa armigera*), and this pest has a significant impact on chickpea crops in India and China.
Chickpeas are self-pollinating and do not require insects for pollination. They are also bush-type plants, meaning they support each other when planted densely, making staking or trellising unnecessary. Chickpeas are cultivated for their edible seeds, which are used in dishes such as hummus and falafel. India is the top producer of chickpeas worldwide, with nearly ten million metric tons produced in 2019.
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They are cultivated for their edible seeds
Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are an annual legume with a long, warm growing season. They are cultivated for their edible seeds, which are a staple in many diets around the world. Chickpeas are the second most widely grown pulses on Earth, after soybeans. They are highly nutritious and protein-dense, and are key ingredients in Indian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisines.
The earliest remains of chickpea seeds were found in Syria and Turkey, dating back to around 7000 BCE. Chickpeas were domesticated around this time, though there is evidence of the cultivation of domestic food crops from 7500 BCE and possibly earlier. They were initially harvested by ancient hunter-gatherer cultures in the wild. The closest evolutionary relative to chickpeas is Cicer reticulatum, a plant native to a small area in southeastern Turkey and nearby areas in modern-day Syria.
Chickpeas have since spread to nearly every part of the world, thriving in a variety of climates. They are very resilient plants and can handle all kinds of soil conditions. They grow best in warm weather when daytime temperatures are between 70°F and 80°F, and nighttime temperatures stay above 65°F. They can usually withstand a light frost, but cold weather arriving early in the fall can damage chickpeas and limit autumn harvest yields.
Chickpeas are bushing plants, and by planting them densely, they support each other, making staking or trellising unnecessary. They are nitrogen-fixing plants, meaning they can harvest nitrogen from the air and use it to produce protein. They can fix up to 140kg of nitrogen per hectare per growing season. They are also valued as nitrogen-fixing companion plants for crops that benefit from it, such as leafy greens, corn, squash, and brassicas.
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Chickpeas are native to Turkey and Syria
Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are an annual legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, cultivated for their edible seeds. They are one of the earliest cultivated legumes, with the oldest archaeological evidence of the plant found in Syria.
The closest evolutionary relative to chickpeas is Cicer reticulatum, a plant native to a small area in the southeastern part of modern-day Turkey and nearby areas in modern-day Syria. Archaeological sites in modern-day Syria, such as Tell El-Kerkh and Tell Abu Hureyra, have revealed traces of grain legumes, including chickpeas, from the 8th millennium BCE. Additional discoveries have been made at Çayönü in Turkey, dating from between 7500 and 6800 BCE, and at Hacilar in Turkey, dating from 5450 BCE.
The earliest archaeological evidence for human consumption of chickpeas dates to between 8,000 and 10,000 BCE, from sites scattered across parts of Turkey and northern Syria. This makes chickpeas, along with lentils and peas, one of the oldest cultivated plants in existence. From their beginnings in Syria and Turkey, chickpeas spread to other parts of the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and India.
Chickpeas were originally domesticated along with wheat, barley, peas, and lentils during the First Agricultural Revolution about 10,000 years ago. They are native to the Fertile Crescent, an area encompassing parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, and have been a staple food in the region for millennia.
Today, India is the largest global producer of chickpeas, followed by Australia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Myanmar. Chickpeas are a key ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, used in dishes such as hummus and falafel. They are also commonly used in Indian cuisine, featuring in salads, soups, stews, and curries.
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They are one of the earliest cultivated legumes
Chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, are an annual legume with a long, warm growing season. They are one of the earliest cultivated legumes, with evidence of their cultivation dating back to at least 7500 BCE, and possibly earlier. Archaeological sites in modern-day Syria, such as Tell El-Kerkh and Tell Abu Hureyra, have revealed remnant traces of legumes, including chickpeas, from the 8th millennium BCE. This dates back to the First Agricultural Revolution, when ancient hunter-gatherer cultures began to domesticate plants.
Chickpeas were likely first domesticated in the Mediterranean basin, specifically in the Turkish region neighbouring Syria. From there, they spread across the globe, and today, they are cultivated in various regions, including North America, Canada, and several countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia. India is currently the top producer of chickpeas worldwide, with nearly ten million metric tons produced in 2019.
Chickpeas have a long and rich history, even earning a mention in ancient texts. The Roman writer on agriculture, Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella, wrote about chickpeas in the second book of 'De re rustica', published around 64 CE. The plant typically grows to a height of 20-50 cm, although it can reach up to 1 metre in height in some cases. It has small, feathery leaves and white flowers with blue, violet, or pink veins.
There are two main types of chickpeas: Kabuli and Desi. The Kabuli type is bigger and lighter in colour, while the Desi type is darker and smaller. The Desi variety also has a higher fibre content than its Kabuli counterpart. Chickpeas are susceptible to infestation by pests such as the cotton bollworm, and they are prone to damage by the pod borer insect, which can cause yield losses of up to 40%.
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There are two main types: Kabuli and Desi
Chickpeas are legumes that have been cultivated for thousands of years. They are believed to have originated in southeastern Turkey and nearby areas in modern-day Syria. Today, there are two main types of chickpeas: Kabuli and Desi.
Desi chickpeas have small, dark seeds with a rough coat. They are the most common variety in South Asia, Ethiopia, Mexico, and Iran, and are also known as Bengal gram or kala chana in Hindi. Desi plants are shorter than Kabuli plants, and the chickpeas have a tan or brown pigmented seed coat and purple flowers. They mature a week or two earlier than Kabuli chickpeas and have a higher fiber content, making them suitable for people with blood sugar problems.
Kabuli chickpeas, on the other hand, are larger and lighter in colour, with a smooth coat. They are widely grown throughout the Mediterranean, Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Afghanistan, and Chile, and were introduced to India in the 18th century. Kabuli plants are larger than Desi plants, and the chickpeas have white to cream-coloured seed coats and white flowers. They require a longer reproductive duration for best adaptation and have a lower grain yield than Desi chickpeas.
Both types of chickpeas have distinct geographic distributions and adaptations, as well as varying nutritional profiles. The choice between growing Desi or Kabuli chickpeas depends on factors such as the microclimate, soil conditions, and intended use.
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Frequently asked questions
Chickpeas come from a plant called Cicer arietinum, which is a type of legume.
The chickpea plant grows to 20-50cm (8-20 inches) high and has small, feathery leaves on either side of the stem. It has white flowers with blue, violet, or pink veins. Chickpeas are bushing plants that do not require trellising.
Chickpeas require a long warm growing season with daytime temperatures between 70°F and 80°F and nighttime temperatures above 65°F. They should be planted in a location with full sun and well-draining, fertile soil.
There are two main types of chickpeas: Desi and Kabuli. Desi chickpeas have small, dark seeds and shorter plants, while Kabuli chickpeas are larger and lighter in colour. Desi chickpeas are more common in South Asia, Ethiopia, Mexico, and Iran, while Kabuli chickpeas are more common in American, Latin American, and European grocery stores.
