Growth and Yield Performance of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) as Influenced by Irrigation Levels and Genotypes: A Review

Chickpea is mostly cultivated under dryland condition and water availability is the major environmental factor affecting crop yield in dryland conditions. In dryland areas, the crop suffers from moisture stress due to the insecurity of rainfall. The combination of stored soil moisture and high temperatures results in the creation of various degrees of moisture stress during the duration of crop growth, therefore restricting the expression of growth and development characteristics, resulting in a significant loss of crop output. The provision of irrigation proves pivotal for the successful cultivation of chickpea crops during key growth stages, including pre-flowering, pod development and seed filling. Consequently, the implementation of supplemental irrigation serves as a strategic measure to offset potential production losses attributed to terminal drought. This agricultural practice is notably employed in diverse regions worldwide, with a pronounced impact observed in areas such as West Asia and Northern India, where it plays a crucial role in augmenting chickpea productivity. Susceptibility to drought stress has restrained chickpea productivity at a global level, thus, the proper selection of early maturing and drought tolerant cultivars along with supplemental irrigation may be helpful to sustain chickpea production.