Chickpea is a popular leguminous crop cultivated in various regions of Russia. Gardeners love it for its resistance to frost, heat and drought, a friendly harvest and benefits in crop rotation. Chickpea cultivation has a number of features that must be taken into account.
General characteristics of the culture
Noot received the nickname of mutton or Turkish peas for the unusual shape of the bean, which grows round-angular in shape with an outstanding nose. Slightly bloated seed beans of this plant can have a color from light yellow to dark brown and are not susceptible to cracking when fully ripened. In one pod there are from 1 to 3 pieces.
The root system of the annual Turkish pea is well developed and goes deep into one and a half meters. The uniqueness of the plant roots lies in its ability to form a large number of tubers that enrich the soil with nitrogen and accelerate the dissolution of phosphates.
Chickpea stems, which are not lodging-prone, grow to a height of 25 to 60 cm and have a straight or branched structure, depending on the variety. The foliage is elliptical in green, has a reddish tint in the initial phase of plant growth. Thanks to the established system of self-pollination, chickpeas do not cause particular inconvenience when grown.
The chemical composition of chickpea seeds is as follows:
- 30% protein;
- 12% fiber;
- 8% fat.
The amount of protein per 1 guna chickpea exceeds even the performance of cereals.
The content of nutrients in Turkish peas:
- sodium;
- calcium;
- potassium;
- selenium;
- iron;
- phosphorus;
- magnesium;
- zinc;
- vitamins A, B, beta-carotene, E, PP, C.
Many gardeners love chickpeas for their taste and beneficial properties. The product has established itself as the main component in the preparation of various dishes, often used in traditional medicine.
Varieties of chickpeas
There are a huge number of varieties of chickpeas, because it is grown in more than 30 countries. All varieties of Turkish peas can be divided into groups according to seed size:
- small seed, the mass of a thousand grains is less than 200 g;
- mid-seed with a mass of a thousand grains from 200 to 350 g;
- large seed, the weight of a thousand grains is more than 350 g.
There is another classification of chickpeas by region of growth:
- South European Group. The plant in adulthood reaches 60-70 cm, with lush branching in the upper part. The flowers of Turkish peas are small in size, red or pink.
- Mid-European Group. Adult seedlings grow 35–45 cm in a spreading bush, blooming only in white.
- Anatolian group. In the mature phase of growth, bushes are not higher than 25 cm with a lush top and white flowers.
In the climate of our country, 4 varieties of chickpeas are considered the most common:
- Krasnokutsky 195. A branched erect bush grows up to 30 cm, has white flowers, the distance from the ground to the lower beans is about 15 cm. From 10 square meters. m gives 2.5-3.5 kg of yellow-pink wrinkled beans. Vegetation lasts 90-110 days. It contains the highest percentage of protein in fruits among all varieties of chickpeas.
- Bujak. Bush up to 60 cm high, large white flowers. The lower beans hang 20 cm from the ground. Vegetation for 80-90 days. m gives up to 2 kg of elongated beige beans.
- Anniversary. A low erect bush up to 40 cm in height gives yellow-pink beans from 1.5 to 3 kg with 10 square meters. m. The vegetation period is 90-110 days.
- State farm. Thick low bushes grow up to 30 cm, angular narrowed beans are brown. m gives from 1.8 to 3.7 kg of crop. Vegetation lasts 100 days. Contains the lowest amount of protein.
Subject to the correct conditions for planting and caring for the crop, all varieties of Turkish peas give good yield indicators.
Optimal conditions for growing
Lamb peas are resistant to changing weather conditions. It is able to survive during sudden frosts to -10 degrees, tolerates high temperatures well.
The vegetation process is 80-110 days, the seeds begin to germinate at 2-4 degrees. Chickpea gives a good harvest, developing at a temperature of 20-25 degrees.
In all phases of growth, the culture is drought tolerant. This is possible due to the abundant hair that covers the foliage, stems and fruits of the crop. In addition, the dense pubescence of chickpeas releases oxalic and malic acid, which protects it from most pests.
Chickpea is not particularly demanding on previous plants in the garden and gives good performance on fertile chernozemic lands without additional fertilizing. The nature of chickpea cultivation is such that it is one of the best predecessors for most crops, creating favorable conditions for the accumulation of moisture.
Lamb peas early vacate the site, and therefore, in large-scale agricultural cultivation, the winter wheat-chickpea-winter wheat crop rotation scheme is often used.
Sowing dates
Given good cold resistance and seed germination even at 4 degrees, chickpea planting begins after sowing early crops. This usually happens in April or early May, when the soil in the deep layers warmed up to 5-6 degrees.
In the southern regions, sowing of Turkish peas is possible in late March or early April under favorable climatic conditions.
Land preparation
Soil preparation before chickpea sowing is carried out in 2 stages:
- Autumn after harvesting the previous crop. Before the onset of frost, the plot for Turkish peas is freed from perennial weeds by cultivation or treatment with glyphosate. If necessary, make phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
- In the spring before sowing. Dig up the soil, carefully removing the young litter. It is believed that the greater the depth of plowing, the higher the yield of Turkish peas.
Chickpeas do not cope well with weeds, so before sowing and during plant growth, you must monitor its absence.
Preparing planting material
Before planting Turkish peas on an industrial scale, the seeds are pre-treated with a nodule bacteria preparation to increase yield. On a small site to test germination immediately before sowing in open ground, planting material is soaked in a large container with room temperature water.
Chickpea tends to swell with prolonged contact with water at 140% of its mass. Therefore, when soaking the beans for planting, take a container with an amount of liquid exceeding the volume of seeds.
After thorough mixing, the beans are left in water for 6-12 hours before swelling. Then drain the water and cover the container with a plastic bag to prevent drying of the material. Leave the seeds in this form at home until germination, periodically checking and moisturizing if necessary.
In case of seedling, the chickpeas are not pre-soaked.
Planting Chickpea Seeds
There are two ways to plant Turkish peas: immediately in open ground or first for seedlings at home. Both methods lead to a plentiful harvest with the timely completion of all stages.
Outdoor landing
A week before the last expected frost after germination of the soaked seeds in warm conditions, they are laid out in previously prepared wells in the area. In the row planting scheme, they are placed at a distance of 15 cm from each other at a depth of 6-8 cm. If the tape method is chosen, planting material is placed at the same depth at a distance of 45 cm.
To obtain friendly seedlings, it is important to plant chickpeas at the same depth in well-moistened soil. If the soil is not sufficiently moistened at the time of planting, then the wells are pre-watered.
After the beans are laid out, the rows are sprinkled with earth and leveled. If the forecast promises frost, you can protect the plantings with cover material at night.
Watch the video, which shows how to prepare chickpea grains for planting and plant them in open ground:
Planting seedlings
A month before the last predicted frost, chickpea seeds are planted for seedlings at home. Chickpea seedlings are not transplanted in order to avoid damage to the abundant root system, so paper or peat pots are used for sowing seedlings, which dissolve in the area. 1-2 dry seeds are placed in biodegradable containers to a depth of 2-4 cm.
If 2 sprouts sprout, then the weaker one is cut, but not dug, so as not to disturb the roots.
Pots are placed on the window so that the soil has enough light. Until the emergence of seedlings, which usually begins after 2 weeks, the ground is kept moist.
After passing all the frosts, when the seedlings reach 10-13 cm, proceed to their transfer to an open area. At the prepared place, pits are formed that are identical to the size of the cup. Chickpea seedlings are planted at a distance of 14-20 cm from each other, leaving from 40 to 60 cm in the aisle. After laying out the pots with seedlings, their surface is slightly covered with earth.
Crop care during cultivation
Caring for chickpeas during the growing season provides for a number of standard measures.
Weeding
One of the main periodic procedures that must be carried out when growing chickpeas is the removal of weeds. After planting, weeding is carried out for the first time a week after germination of the young on the beds. The second time it will be needed when large leaves appear on the plant. Afternoon is considered optimal for weed control.
Watering
Watering is carried out abundantly, keeping the soil moist at the initial stages of growth of Turkish peas. Watering is carried out twice a week until the formation of chickpea pods. When the plant reaches this stage, watering is reduced to 1 time per week.
An important condition for watering chickpeas is wetting at ground level. In the upper method of watering, water contributes to the early breaking of pods and the development of mold. Closer to harvest, watering is carried out no more than 1 time in 2 weeks for high-quality drying of the product.
Mulching
A thin layer of mulch is added around the stems to maintain sufficient water in the soil and prevent weed growth in the aisle.
Top dressing
In the middle of the season, fertilizing with well-matched compost is permissible. Do not additionally fertilize the chickpea beds with nitrogen-containing bait - this can lead to an excess of nitrogen, an increase in foliage and a decrease in yield.
Pest and Disease Control
In the fight against chickpea pests, they monitor the appearance of unwanted insects and apply control measures only after they appear on the plant. The most common pests are ticks, cicadas and aphids. They are removed by spraying with insecticidal soap or natural preparations based on pyrethrin.
Possible diseases of seedlings by rot, anthracnose or mosaic. To avoid infection, the site is periodically freed from debris and avoid contact with the plant when it is wet. Infected seedlings are removed from the beds to prevent the spread of the disease.
Harvesting and storage
Particular attention must be paid to harvesting Turkish walnut. Mid-ripe varieties of chickpeas are ready for harvesting 90-100 days after planting seeds, late-ripening can ripen up to 150 days after planting. In many ways, the product availability factor is determined by the climatic conditions of a particular region.
To eat fresh chickpeas, you can collect it when the pods are still green.
As a rule, chickpeas ripen evenly throughout the plant. The pods reach a length of 3-5 cm and contain from 1 to 3 beans inside. The shell does not crack, the beans do not spill out into the beds. When the leaves turn brown and the whole plant dries, it is torn out and laid out on the ground for final drying under natural conditions.
Beans are picked when the pods crack. If there is a chance of rain, chickpeas are brought into a ventilated area to complete the drying. If this is not done, then the likelihood of mold development is high, which will damage the mutton peas from the inside and destroy the crop. Also, during natural drying, the appearance of various rodents is possible, which will spoil the pods with chickpeas and add extra work.
After thorough drying, the mutton peas are laid out in cloth bags and placed in a dry room. Chickpeas are ready to eat. Turkish pea straw is used to feed cattle and pigs by mixing it with straw of cereal crops.
Subject to storage conditions, chickpea beans remain viable for 8-10 years.
Observance of all conditions for growing chickpeas will allow you to collect a lush crop of this useful and tasty crop on the site, as well as enrich the soil with nitrogen before planting the following plants.