Unlocking the genetic potential of chickpea through improved crop management practices in Ethiopia. A review

Abstract

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) production in Ethiopia is exclusively rainfed. The average national yield remains low comparing to the potentially attainable yield because of the common notion among producers that the crop does not need any nutrient inputs. The newly developed high-yielding cultivars have brought significant yield gains. However, their genetic potentials are still hampered by the traditional crop management practices used and the problematic Vertisol growing conditions. Yields of chickpea grown on Vertisols are limited by poor drainage when sown early and by drought when sown late. This calls for optimization of the balance with minimum tradeoffs in key economic traits. Here, we review research progress on chickpea over the past five decades in Ethiopia, with particular emphasis on crop management practices. The paper gives a comprehensive overview of research findings and information generated on the Vertisol cropping systems, where chickpea is the principal rotational crop under cereal-legume cultivation entailing substantial role in cropping system intensification. It has been noted that the productivity of Vertisol-grown chickpea is largely constrained more by lack of the use of best bet crop management practices than the genetics of a given cultivar. For instance, raised-bed method as compared to the conventional flatbed increased grain and biomass yields by about 74% and 58%, respectively. The current average farm yield of chickpea in Ethiopia is about 55% of the yield potential of the crop, suggesting that farmers can still have rooms to substantially increase yield using improved practices. Based on the cumulative evidences, it can be concluded that the yield potentials of genetically elite cultivars may not be realized without synergistic combination of improved management practices and adequate nutrient use. We, therefore, recommend the integrated use of improved crop management strategies, while the soil physical properties still deserve utmost research attention.

Effect of Mineral and Organic Fertilization on desi and kabuli Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.): Plant Growth and Production, Hydration Properties, Bioactive Compounds, and Antioxidant Activity

“…The organic fertilization induced an increase of the seed yield and 100 seed weight, but only in kabuli . Other authors reported positive effects on chickpea growth using different types of organic fertilizers (compost, vermicompost, farmyard manure), without specifying the chickpea type [ 16 , 31 ]. Compost can most likely improve plant growth through various mechanisms, including the reduction of nutritional constraints, improvement of soil water retention, and decreased incidence and impact of parasites [ 26 ].…”

Response of chickpea to varying moisture stress conditions in Ethiopia

“…Globally, chickpea is cultivated on an area of 17.85 million ha with an annual production of over 17 Tg (FAOSTAT, 2019). Among chickpea‐growing countries, India alone contributes about 70% of the world's total production (Korbu et al., 2020). Ethiopia is the leading chickpea producer in Africa, producing more than 500,000 metric tons per year from an area of ∼243,000 ha of smallholder farms (CSA, 2019; FAOSTAT, 2019), accounting for over 90% of grain production in sub‐Saharan Africa (Verkaart et al., 2017).…”

“…The crop is well known as one of the major food legumes having great nutritional values for millions of farming communities. Ethiopia has diverse agroecologies with high potential for chickpea production (Fikre et al., 2018; Korbu et al., 2020), making it one of the world's leading countries in terms of productivity per unit area (FAO, 2018). Chickpea is grown during the post‐rainy season to escape waterlogging conditions and major diseases associated with high humidity during the rainy season (Korbu et al., 2020).…”

“…Ethiopia has diverse agroecologies with high potential for chickpea production (Fikre et al., 2018; Korbu et al., 2020), making it one of the world's leading countries in terms of productivity per unit area (FAO, 2018). Chickpea is grown during the post‐rainy season to escape waterlogging conditions and major diseases associated with high humidity during the rainy season (Korbu et al., 2020). The crop mainly survives on residual moisture mostly on Vertisols, which is characterized as fast cracking causing a rapid soil moisture escape from the root zone.…”

Tapping the Economic Potential of Chickpea in Sub-Saharan Africa

“…Chickpea is not a heavy moisture feeder. In areas where double cropping per season is designed or short rain spells prevails, chickpea manages to survive its reproductive phase using the residual progressively depleting moisture [21,23]. The deep root system utilizes the untapped moisture resource by the previous crop, and the chickpea crop breaks and disrupts the circuit of regular pest and ameliorates soil fertility by natural nitrogen replenishment of the soil for use by cereals planted after.…”