Bengal Gram – Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) 2n = 16

The most important pulse crop India is the largest producer of chickpea in the world.

Origin: According to Vavilov (1926) – S.W. Africa and Mediterranean region

Later, Vander Maesun (1984) – Turkey and Syria

Distribution: India, Pakistan, Mexico, Turkey, Ethiopia, Burma and Maynmar. In India M.P.

U.P. Rajasthan, Haryana accounts 75-80% of the India’s production other states are Maharashtra,

Bihar, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.

Progenitors :

Cicer bijugum

C. echinospermum

C. reticulatum

Genus Cicer has 49 species, out of these nine are annual and forty are perennial