Chickpea

Chickpea is an important cool-season food legume in Ethiopia, but its productivity is low due to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Varieties grown by farmers are susceptible to several diseases (ascochyta blight, rust, fusarium wilt) and insect pests (pod borers and bruchids). There is a lack of improved varieties, and the diffusion of appropriate production technologies is slow. ICARDA chickpea breeding material has been shared with the Ethiopian national program and jointly evaluated for stress resistance. Elite lines have also been shared for multi-locational testing and possible direct use. The research work undertaken in various disciplines (e.g., agronomy, breeding, pathology, entomology, weed control, microbiology, human nutrition, and socioeconomics) has focused on release of improved cultivars and the development of improved production packages, taking into consideration socioeconomic status and available resources. The achievements under the Nile Valley Regional Program include the official release of ICCL-820104/85-DZ/16-2, ICCL-84218, ICCL-84239, and DZ-10-9-2. These lines are resistant to wilt, and are adapted for mid-altitude areas (1800-2300 m asl). Further, the research and verification efforts have resulted in an improved production package (sowing in late August or early September, seed rate of 80 kg/ha, improved variety ‘Mariye,’ one spray for pod borer control at 30-35 days after planting) for farmers in the mid-altitudes of Shewa region, including the areas of Adas, Lemi, Shenkora, Tulubolo, Gimbichu, and Ginchi. In 2000, two varieties of kabuli chickpea were released by Debre Zeit Research Center for midlands and highlands—’Areti,’ resistant to fusarium wilt and ascochyta blight, and ‘Shasho,’ resistant to fusarium wilt. The Debre Zeit Center has also identified a high-yielding and ascochyta blight-resistant desi chickpea variety (ICCV 922219) for the country’s highlands. Some other new cultivars were identified as candidates for release. Chickpea area increased from 127,000 ha in 1989-91 to 168,000 ha in 1999, with an increase in productivity from 800 kg/ha to 828 kg/ha.