Chickpea inclusive cropping and cropping sequence

Crop cycle

Chickpea is sown after harvesting of kharif or rainy-season crops like maize, millet, jowar, sesame, paddy etc. Chickpea is cultivated as monoculture, intercrop, relay crop or mixed crop in the cereal based crop sequences. The chickpea can also be sown after harvesting of kharif legumes such as mungbean, urdbean, soybean or other crops like cotton etc. 

Chickpea crop can contribute in saving nitrogenous fertilizer in the subsequent crop. For example, chickpea crop leads to saving of about 50-60 kg / ha nitrogen for subsequent maize crop.Chcikpea is grown primarily as monoculture, however  intercropping of chickpea with other crops increase productivity and income. Chickpea + linseed (4: 2), chickpea + Kusum (4: 1),   chickpea + mustard (6: 2) are the major chickpea based recommended intercropping.

Mixed crop:

Farmers usually practice non-scientific method of mixed cropping in chickpea with mustard or barley. However, intercropping of chickpea is recommended for ease in performing interculture operations and harnessing of yield advantage.