Nutritional and biochemical characterization of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) varieties/genotypes

A laboratory-based investigation was carried out to assess the biochemical and nutritional characteristics of selected chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes/varieties. The seeds used in the study were obtained from the Legume Breeder, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology (CSAUAT), Kanpur. The primary objective was to evaluate key nutritional parameters—namely, protein content, methionine content, and tryptophan content—across different promising chickpea genotypes. The biochemical analysis revealed a considerable range of variability among the genotypes studied. Protein content ranged from 22.20% to 25.05%, methionine content varied between 0.62 and 1.42 g per 16 g nitrogen (N), and tryptophan content ranged from 1.065 to 1.35 g per 16 g N. Among the evaluated genotypes, KWR-108 recorded the highest methionine content, while KGD-93 exhibited the highest tryptophan concentration (1.35 g/16 g N) in dhal. Notably, the genotype KGD-1918 demonstrated the highest protein content, reaching 25.05% in dhal. These findings highlight the genetic diversity in nutritional composition among chickpea genotypes and underscore the potential of certain lines for use in breeding programs aimed at improving the nutritional quality of chickpeas.