Exploring the Profitability of Chickpeas in Heavy Soils: New Trial Launched in Moora
By Simon Kruger, WMG Project Communications Officer
The West Midlands Group will be following a new chickpea demonstration site near Moora this year as part of the Grain Legumes Project, led by the Grower Group Alliance (GGA) and funded by the GRDC. This trial is one of several across the region aiming to close the economic yield gap for grain legumes in Western Australia, with a particular focus on extending knowledge about profitable pulse production under local conditions.
The site, hosted by local farmer Jim Hamilton, is testing chickpea performance on heavier soil types—an environment that has historically been underutilised for high-value pulses. The trial also includes strips to assess whether adjustments to inoculant and seeding rates can enhance early establishment and productivity.
Specifically, three treatments are being compared:
- A control using standard inoculant and seeding rates,
- An increased seeding rate treatment, and
- A double inoculant treatment aimed at enhancing nitrogen fixation and early nodulation.
The variety selected for the site is Captain (desi type), seeded in mid-April 2025. The trial design builds on learnings from WMG’s 2023 legume trials in Dandaragan and aims to generate locally relevant data on establishment, biomass, weed suppression, disease management, and yield under commercial conditions.
Throughout the season, WMG will collect data on crop emergence, weed burden, biomass accumulation at flowering and peak growth, foliar disease presence, and final yield. Additional measurements will assess nitrogen fixation through 15N testing, with laboratory support from the UWA Biogeochemistry Centre. The group will also track site weather, input records, and seasonal impacts to support interpretation of trial outcomes.
This demonstration is part of a broader push to identify grain legume options that offer both rotational and economic benefits for growers across diverse environments in WA. While chickpeas may not suit every soil type, there is growing interest in their fit on heavier country where they can contribute to nitrogen budgets and provide a break option in cereal-dominant systems.
As the season progresses, WMG will provide updates from the site, with plans to share preliminary insights through field visits and grower communications. The trial will also feed into a collaborative review process with other grower groups and grain legume experts, ensuring that extension messages reflect the combined agronomic and economic learnings from the season.
For those interested in pulse crop profitability, establishment strategies, or simply following the performance of chickpeas on heavier soils—this site is one to watch.
