Crop Profile for Chickpea in Canada - March 2008 (42 pp) - Synopsis

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important food legume that provides a source of high quality protein for consumers. A member of the family Leguminosae chickpea, in association with the soil bacteria (generally called rhizobia), can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere.

About 88% of chickpea production in Canada is located in Saskatchewan with the remaining 12% in Alberta. 'Kabuli' chickpea is best adapted to the brown soil zone, while 'Desi' chickpea is best adapted to the brown and dark brown soil zones of Saskatchewan. Chickpea is not well adapted to saline soils, soils with high clay content, soils that are slow to warm up in the spring or to high moisture areas, since it will not tolerate waterlogged soil.

The Crop Profile for Chickpea provides an overview of production and pest management practices for chickpea in Canada. Information is provided on abiotic factors affecting its growth. The biology of key disease, insect and mite and weed problems is presented as well as cultural, chemical and alternative methods of control. Detailed information is provided in tabular form on pest occurrence, integrated pest management options and registered pesticides available to growers.

Grower issues/ gaps in pest management, identified through stakeholder consultations are described in each of the three main sections (disease, insect and mite and weed) and under each pest description. Key resource personnel, including provincial extension specialists and research scientists are listed in the resources section at the end of the profile. Links are also provided to national and provincial grower organizations and provincial ministry of agriculture websites, sources of additional information on chickpea production.

Limited crop production and market statistics are provided in the profile to give context to the economic importance of the commodity. For more detailed statistics pertaining to the crop, the reader is referred to Statistics Canada.

The is not intended for use as a crop production guide. Please refer to provincial ministry of agriculture websites and crop specialists for detailed information on crop production and pest management in a specific region.

This profile is based on a report prepared under contract (01B68-3-0046) by:

Mark Goodwin, Mark Goodwin Consulting Ltd., Winnipeg, Manitoba

Pest management data was collected by focus groups through the Canadian Expert Poll on Crop Protection conducted in Saskatchewan in 2007.

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