Physico-Chemical and Nutritional Characterization of Three Traditional Spanish Chickpea Varieties

This study presents a physicochemical and nutritional characterization of three traditional Spanish chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) varieties -Pedrosillano (PE), Castellano (CA), and Blanco Lechoso (BL)- together with the evaluation of a selected cultivar (Garabito, GA) derived from Pedrosillano, and the assessment of soil-type influence on PE seeds. Marked differences among varieties were mainly associated with morphometric traits. BL showed the largest seeds, with a 100-seed weight of 58.9 g, compared to 47.0 g in CA and 29.8 g in PE, as well as the highest fat (6.73 g/100 g) and total sugar contents (5.29 g/100 g). PE, despite its smaller size, exhibited high protein (20.3 g/100 g), fiber (23.7 g/100 g), and carbohydrate contents. All varieties showed high essential amino acid levels, with glutamate and aspartate as predominant amino acids. Mineral composition differed moderately, with potassium ranging from 10.1 to 11.8 g/kg and calcium from 1.11 to 1.38 g/kg. During cooking, BL absorbed the most water (138%) and produced the softest texture, whereas CA showed the highest level of hardness. The GA cultivar displayed physicochemical and nutritional values comparable to PE. No significant differences were observed in PE grown on contrasting soil types, indicating high compositional stability.