United Kingdom
July 20, 2026
Projects funded through the Defra Farming Innovation Programme and managed by Innovate UK are supporting efforts to establish chickpeas as a viable, climate-resilient crop for UK farmers. As part of this work, Niab and project partners are evaluating chickpea production under UK conditions to help stimulate future domestic breeding programmes.
Desi species of Chickpea
Farmer David White (Cambridgeshire), who is hosting the trials, provided an update to farmers, researchers and industry representatives on the progress of the crop. Establishment remains one of the key challenges, with seed vigour, plant population and drilling technique all having a significant influence on crop performance. Companion and relay cropping approaches showed encouraging results, although further refinement is needed.
Weed control continues to be a major constraint due to the limited availability of herbicide options. Considering wider row spacing combined with inter-row cultivation may provide a practical management solution. Dry weather conditions also impacted crop performance, highlighting the importance of soil moisture management.
Sowing Kabuli chickpeas with spring wheat
Breeding efforts are focused on improving agronomic performance and achieving earlier maturity, reducing reliance on late harvesting and desiccation. Additional research into precision planting, optimum seed rates and crop mixtures may further support commercial adoption.
Overall, the trial visit demonstrated that chickpeas have potential as a UK-grown crop, although improvements in establishment, weed control and maturity will be needed before wider commercial uptake can be achieved.
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