Supplementary irrigations at different physiological growth stages of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) change grain nutritional composition

• Published in: Food chemistry 2020-01, Vol.303, p.125402-125402, Article 125402
• Main Authors: Varol, Ihsan Serkan, Kardes, Yusuf Murat, Irik, Hasan Ali, Kirnak, Halil, Kaplan, Mahmut
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino acids; Amylose; Crude oil; Mineral content; Protein; Resistant starch; Starch properties
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2019.125402

•Nutritional composition of chickpea was affected by irrigation treatments.•Protein content increased by the irrigation before flowering stages.•The greatest starch content was obtained at the beginning of flowering irrigation.•Full irrigation did not have significant effects on nutritional attributes.•The essential amino acid levels of chickpea increased by irrigation application. Chickpea is one the most important legumes consumed all around the world because of high protein content. The current study was conducted to investigate the effects of irrigation treatments at different physiological growth stages (before flowering, beginning of flowering, pod-set and pod-fill periods) on nutritional attributes of chickpea. The findings showed that one or two irrigations at different physiological growth stages instead of full irrigation treatment might be sufficient to improve the nutritional attributes of chickpea. Flowering and pod-fill periods were identified as the critical periods for irrigations and affected the nutritional component levels. The greatest protein level (29.52%) was obtained from the samples irrigated before flowering while the greatest total starch (36.30%) was obtained from the samples irrigated at the beginning of flowering. It was concluded based on present findings that physiological growth stages should be taken into consideration in irrigation practices of chickpea farming.