Factors influencing bioactive constituents in Australian desi chickpea: variety, location and season

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a significant pulse crop in Australia, with an industry value of over AU $1.3 billion. However, there are few studies investigating the levels of health-benefiting constituents in desi chickpea, and the impacts of variety, growing location and season on these constituents. This study aimed to study the levels of health-benefiting constituents in desi chickpea, including 97 samples of Australian desi chickpea, comprising 18 varieties, grown in a range of field trials across four Victorian locations and 3 growing seasons. Various physical characteristics and phytochemical composition were determined in the samples, including 100-seed weight, colour, moisture content, total phenolic content (TPC), ferric reducing antioxidant potential (FRAP), cupric reducing antioxidant potential (CUPRAC) and total monomeric anthocyanin content (TMAC). The screening results showed a significant difference in TPC, TMAC, and FRAP among different desi varieties, suggesting there may be variation in their potential health benefits. Furthermore, the growing location and growing season significantly impacted all analytes. Correlation analysis revealed a number of significant correlations, including a moderate positive correlation between the b* colour and the antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content. This work provides the first detailed insight into the range of phenolic and antioxidant contents found in Australian desi chickpea, and the impact that genotype, location and season can have.