Analysis of chickpea yield gap and water-limited potential yield in Iran

• High yield gaps were found in chickpea in Iran, indicating a great capacity for increased yield.
• Substituting current cultivars with short-duration cultivars would promote country average yield by 25%.
• Agronomy measures were more effective than the plant breeding measures to increase the country yield, 50% versus 25%.
• Tripling chickpea production would be feasible by applying a single irrigation.

Iran is one of the major chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) producing countries of the world. Average chickpea yield in Iran is about 500 kg ha−1 while the world average is 900 kg ha−1. The objective of this study was to investigate chickpea water limited potential yield (Yw) and yield gap in Iran. The analysis was based on data from five representing chickpea producing locations of Iran. Estimated country Yw and yield gap were 991 and 463 kg ha−1, respectively, indicating that farmers have reached 53% (range: 38–64%) of Yw. If farmers could reach 80% of Yw of their locations, by improving agronomy practice, country average yield would increase by 50%, from 528 to 793 kg ha−1. A key finding of the study was that chickpea yield in Iran is largely limited by inefficient use of environmental resources and not the genetics of the current cultivars. Much higher yield increase is obtainable via an agronomic option than a genetic improvement option: using shorter duration cultivars increased Yw to 1237 kg ha−1 (25% increase), but applying a single irrigation of 60 mm at first-pod alone or in combination with shorter duration cultivars increased Yw to 1804 kg ha−1(85% increase) and to 1997 kg ha−1 (104% increase), respectively. Thus, tripling chickpea production would be feasible using a single irrigation with or without shorter duration cultivars (from 528 to 1443 or 1598 kg ha−1). The availability of water for the single irrigation is discussed.