Assessing Chickpea Establishment in Heavy Soils: Early Results

Jul 14,2025 Grain Legumes Project, Project Update Article, Technical Article, 2025, Projects, RAD2124, Technical Article,

By Kate Parker & Simon Kruger, WMG

A demonstration site near Moora is helping to assess the establishment potential of chickpeas in heavy soils within the West Midlands region of Western Australia. This trial, part of a broader initiative to increase grain legume adoption in WA, builds on previous work evaluating break crop options for local farming systems. In 2025, the focus shifted to chickpeas as a high-value pulse option under local grower conditions.

This site is one of several across WA supported by GRDC and coordinated through the Grower Group Alliance (GGA) and participating grower groups. The aim is to explore the feasibility and profitability of grain legumes in regions with currently low adoption but promising environmental potential.

The 42-hectare paddock was sown with Captain (Desi) chickpeas under three treatments:

a standard control (100 kg/ha seed with 3.5 kg/ha Nodulator)
an increased seeding rate (130 kg/ha with the same inoculant rate)
a double inoculant treatment (100 kg/ha seed with 7 kg/ha Nodulator)

The trial is examining how variations in seeding rate and inoculation influence establishment, nitrogen fixation, and crop performance under farm-scale conditions.

Challenging Start to the Season

The season opened with a particularly dry start, recording well below average rainfall from January to May (Barberton weather station). Although seeding occurred in mid-April after some early rain, warm temperatures and limited follow-up moisture in May severely constrained emergence. Plants that emerged in early May (Figure 3) had wilted and collapsed by mid-May (Figure 4). By early June, plant counts showed establishment levels below recommended targets, indicating widespread establishment failure (Estimated establishment = 80% (Cumming & Jenkins, 2011))(Figure 2).

**Figure 1.** Plant establishment counts on the 8th of June for each treatment per metre squared.

**Figure 2.** Plant establishment percentage on the 8th of June for each treatment with a red dotted line to indicate recommended establishment percentage.

**Figure 3.** Chickpeas on the 2^nd of May 2025.

**Figure 4.** Chickpeas on the 12^th of May 2025.

Low-lying areas with heavier stubble cover and shaded headlands showed better plant survival. These microclimates retained soil moisture for longer, reinforcing the critical role of moisture availability in crop establishment. Variability across the paddock also highlighted the complexity of interpreting establishment results under dry conditions.

Reseeding Success

In response to poor establishment, the paddock was reseeded on June 9 using a disc seeder in the inter-row. Subsequent plant counts in early July showed a significant improvement in emergence, with most areas achieving or surpassing the target of 40–45 plants/m² (DPIRD, 2024; Power et al., 2024; GRDC, 2017)(Figure 5). This result suggests that some of the original April-sown seed may also have contributed to the final stand, germinating with the later rainfall.

**Figure 5.** Plant establishment counts on the 1st of July for each treatment per metre squared.

**Figure 6.** Plant establishment percentage on the 1st of July for each treatment with a red dotted line to indicate recommended establishment percentage.

While the difference between treatments was not statistically significant at this early stage, there was a slight trend toward higher establishment in the increased seeding rate treatment. Volunteer wheat was present along some paddock edges and may have competed with emerging chickpeas (Figure 7). Variable soil surface conditions, particularly in areas with cloddy or loose soils, also appeared to limit establishment, likely due to reduced seed-soil contact and uneven moisture availability (Figure 8).

**Figure 7.** Chickpeas with volunteer wheat on the (1/7/25).

**Figure 8.** Chickpeas in cloddy areas of the paddock (1/7/25).

Early Takeaways

While it is too early to draw conclusions about yield or economic performance, the trial is already offering useful insights into the delicate nature of establishing legumes under unpredictable autumn conditions. Early rainfall can create a false break, leading to poor emergence if not followed by consistent moisture. The contrast between seeding timings and the impact of minor environmental variations (such as tree lines and soil condition) may prompt further exploration into targeted management practices to improve establishment reliability.

Further monitoring will focus on biomass, nitrogen fixation, disease incidence, and final yield. These results will inform local growers on the management requirements for chickpeas in heavier soils and contribute to broader understanding of legume crop potential in WA through the Closing the Economic Yield Gap of Grain Legumes in WA investment.

To follow the trial’s progress or explore previous legume demonstrations in the region, visit the Grain Legumes Project page.

References

Cumming, G., & Jenkins, L. (2011). Chickpea: Effective crop establishment – Sowing window, row spacing, seeding depth & rate (PA 2011 #07). Pulse Australia & Industry & Investment NSW. https://www.pulseaus.com.au/storage/app/media/crops/2011_NPB-Chickpea-crop-establishment.pdf

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia. (2024), Desi chickpea – essentials for growing a successful crop. Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia, Perth. Factsheet DPIRD-43. https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/fc_factsheets/5

Power, S, Shackley, B, Paynter, B, Seymour, M, Dhammu, H, and Wackett, B. (2024), 2025 Western Australian Crop Sowing Guide. State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), Perth. Bulletin Bulletin 4935. https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/bulletins/292

Grains Research and Development Corporation. (2017). Chickpeas Western Region – GrowNotes™. GRDC.