Evaluating the Dual-Purpose of Chickpea: A Cash and Cover Crop for Agricultural Production Systems in the Southeast

Chickpea crop grown at the UF/IFAS Plant Science Research and Education Unit in Citra, FL
(PC: A. Babar)

Research Objectives

    1. Evaluate yield, nutritional quality and nitrogen (N)-fixation of chickpeas integrated into corn cropping systems.
    2. Assess N-fixation by chickpea and N credit to the subsequent cash crop on the three most promising varieties at both research sites and on growers’ fields.
    3. Measure insect and disease pressure in the rotational crops.
    4. Evaluate and compare the economic feasibility of production for evaluated chickpea varieties.
    5. Incorporate stakeholders’ recommendations in the evaluation of project activities, conduct outreach and training, and disseminate findings on the potential dual-purpose of chickpea in agricultural production systems.

This work is supported by Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) project no. LS21-353 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Team