Chickpea is one of the three major food legumes in South Asia. This book is a valuable addition, compiling the latest literature on traditional plant breeding, modern biotechnology and crop management of chickpeas.

There are 30 multi-authored chapters which cover origin, history, germplasm collection, biodiversity, crop management, cropping systems, biotic and abiotic stresses, disease and insect pest management, genetics, cytogenetics, breeding approaches, seed production, seed storage, genomics, molecular approaches, transgenics and world trade. The chapters flow smoothly up to Chapter 27 (International Trade) and then turn back to crop modelling (Chapter 28) and end with G × E interaction (Chapter 30), which seems out of place. The History and Origin (Chapter 1) could have been combined with Taxonomy of the Cicer Revisited (Chapter 2) thereby avoiding redundancies. Figures are supposed to speak for themselves but it is difficult to understand some (examples are 1.2, 4.1, 4.2, 10.2, 10.3). Table 16.2 is missing. Editors could have used single currency instead of confusing the readers with Indian rupees and US dollars (see page 308, Table 14.9, where Gross and Net Profits are in Rs/ha, but in Table 14.11 they are in $/ha; the values are vastly different – which is correct?).

Overlooking the editorial flaws, most of the chapters in the book contain useful information for students, scientists and others who are interested in chickpea breeding and management.