Chickpea is the third most important leguminous plant used as human food due its digestibility and biological value of the protein. Is a winter crop in India, Ethiopia and Latin America whereas it is a spring crop in the Mediterranean countries. Most of the cultivated area is located, between 15 and 40° North latitude and about 10% is irrigated. Total world production is 5,6 million tons grown in an area of 9,6 million hectares. The low productivity observed are attributed to a lack of appropriate cultivars, low tecnology levels and diseases mainly in India and Pakistan that are responsible for about 85% of total production. In Brazil this crop is incipient and its consumption very low. However since it is a winter crop and of high quality protein it has a great potencial as one more food alternative. Therefore publication of data about origen, taxonomy, importance, use and above all, information about the management of this crop will be useful to people interested in it. Also are shown some research data obtained in Brazil.
chickpea; Cicer arietinum; production; cultivation
