Improvement in starch digestibility (in vitro) of various Pigeonpea cultivars through processing and cooking

Chickpea: Its Origin, Distribution, Nutrition, Benefits, Breeding, and Symbiotic Relationship with Mesorhizobium Species

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), encompassing the desi and kabuli varieties, is a beloved pulse crop globally. Its cultivation spans over fifty countries, from the Indian subcontinent and southern Europe to the Middle East, North Africa, the Americas, Australia, and China. With a rich composition of carbohydrates and protein, constituting 80% of its dry seed mass, chickpea is also touted for its numerous health benefits, earning it the title of a 'functional food'. In the past two decades, research has extensively explored the rhizobial diversity associated with chickpea and its breeding in various countries across Europe, Asia, and Oceania, aiming to understand its impact on the sustainable yield and quality of chickpea crops. To date, four notable species of Mesorhizobium-M. ciceri, M. mediterraneum, M. muleiense, and M. wenxiniae-have been reported, originally isolated from chickpea root nodules. Other species, such as M. amorphae, M. loti, M. tianshanense, M. oportunistum, M. abyssinicae, and M. shonense, have been identified as potential symbionts of chickpea, possibly acquiring symbiotic genes through lateral gene transfer. While M. ciceri and M. mediterraneum are widely distributed and studied across chickpea-growing regions, they remain absent in China, where M. muleiense and M. wenxiniae are the sole rhizobial species associated with chickpea. The geographic distribution of chickpea rhizobia is believed to be influenced by factors such as genetic characteristics, competitiveness, evolutionary adaptation to local soil conditions, and compatibility with native soil microbes. Inoculating chickpea with suitable rhizobial strains is crucial when introducing the crop to new regions lacking indigenous chickpea rhizobia. The introduction of a novel chickpea variety, coupled with the effective use of rhizobia for inoculation, offers the potential not only to boost the yield and seed quality of chickpeas, but also to enhance crop productivity within rotation and intercropped systems involving chickpea and other crops. Consequently, this advancement holds the promise to drive forward the cause of sustainable agriculture on a global scale.

Nutritional quality and health benefits of chickpea (Cicer arietinumL.): a review

Chickpea (Cicer arietinumL.) is an important pulse crop grown and consumed all over the world, especially in the Afro-Asian countries. It is a good source of carbohydrates and protein, and protein quality is considered to be better than other pulses. Chickpea has significant amounts of all the essential amino acids except sulphur-containing amino acids, which can be complemented by adding cereals to the daily diet. Starch is the major storage carbohydrate followed by dietary fibre, oligosaccharides and simple sugars such as glucose and sucrose. Although lipids are present in low amounts, chickpea is rich in nutritionally important unsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic and oleic acids. β-Sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol are important sterols present in chickpea oil. Ca, Mg, P and, especially, K are also present in chickpea seeds. Chickpea is a good source of important vitamins such as riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, folate and the vitamin A precursor β-carotene. As with other pulses, chickpea seeds also contain anti-nutritional factors which can be reduced or eliminated by different cooking techniques. Chickpea has several potential health benefits, and, in combination with other pulses and cereals, it could have beneficial effects on some of the important human diseases such as CVD, type 2 diabetes, digestive diseases and some cancers. Overall, chickpea is an important pulse crop with a diverse array of potential nutritional and health benefits.