Chickpeas: Vegetable proteins from domestic cultivation [07.12.22]
Although the demand for protein-rich chickpeas has increased sharply in Germany in recent years, the legumes on our supermarket shelves have mainly come from abroad up to now. The Cicero project, with the participation of the University of Hohenheim, aims to remedy this situation. The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection (MLR) is funding the joint research of Prof. Dr. Simone Graeff-Hönninger and Dr. Meylin Terrel Gutierrez from the Department of Agronomy and Dr. Volker Hahn from the State Plant Breeding Institute to the tune of some EUR 435,000.
Chickpeas are becoming increasingly popular with consumers whether as falafel, hummus or as an ingredient in soups, stews, and salads. In Germany, however, they are rarely cultivated. Yet, in the context of climate change, they are seen as an interesting alternative, particularly for the dry, warm regions of southern Germany.
The aim of the CICERO project is to develop the cultivation potential of chickpeas in Baden-Württemberg along the value chain together with farmers, processors and retailers. For instance, the area under cultivation is to be enlarged, the supply of regionally produced protein-rich plant-based products is to be increased, and new market potential is to be exploited.
To date, however, there is a lack of information on which cultivars are suitable for which sites and how sowing and harvesting should best be carried out. That's why researchers at the University of Hohenheim, together with other partners and pilot farms in Baden-Württemberg, want to develop suitable cultivation systems for chickpeas. The project is coordinated by LBV Schrozberg.
To this end, farms are testing chickpea cultivation in what are known as on-farm trials at various sites with different soil conditions and climates. The aim is also to clarify whether a breeding adaptation of the chickpea range available to date is necessary and, if so, how this should be tackled, which cultivars are suitable for which end products, and what further processing (drying, preparation, cleaning, etc.) is required.
At the same time, the University of Hohenheim is conducting scientific precision experiments at the Agricultural Experiment Station, sub-stations Ihinger Hof and Eckartsweier. They look at specific issues such as cultivar selection, sowing date and seed density and/or row spacing, maturity and harvest dates as well as weed and disease management.
In addition to yield, the researchers are also interested in protein content, the amino acid spectrum, and other traits of the cultivated chickpeas. By linking these data with the technological traits in further processing, they would like to derive concrete cultivar recommendations for various utilization options. In addition, the knowledge gained is to be incorporated into the breeding of new cultivars.
Furthermore, the researchers are collecting and documenting previous experiences in the cultivation of chickpeas in Germany as well as in other countries and are checking them for their transferability to conditions in Baden-Württemberg.
Market demand and quality requirements along the value chain are to be clarified in a direct exchange with processors and traders. Subsequently, the results will be made available to all stakeholders.
Project details
- Title: Real laboratory chickpeas – Establishment of chickpea cultivation in Baden-Württemberg for a sustainable supply of regional, high-quality proteins – CICERO
- Funding amount: total EUR 1.2 million, including EUR 437,767 for the University of Hohenheim
- Funding institution: Baden-Württemberg Ministry for Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection (MLR)
- Project duration: 1 July 2022-30 June 2024
- Project participants: LBV - Raiffeisen e.G. – Schrozberg (coordination), University of Hohenheim Department of Agronomy, State Plant Breeding Institute – Legumes Department, Föhr Event Hangar RV GmbH, Nothwang GmbH & Co. KG, Edeka Südwest Handelsgesellschaft Südwest mbh
Contact
Prof. Dr. Simone Graeff-Hönninger, University of Hohenheim, Department of Agronomy
+49 711 459-22376, simone.graeff@uni-hohenheim.de
Heavyweights of research
The series “Heavyweights of Research" presents outstanding research projects with a financial volume of at least 350,000 euros for research requiring equipment or 150,000 euros for research without specialized equipment.
