Chickpea is commonly grown as a spring sown crop in the Mediterranean basin. Yield significantly increases when the sowing date of chickpea is shifted from spring to winter time. Two different ideotypes were identified suitable for the winter and spring sown crops under Italian conditions. The winter type has to be resistant to ascochyta blight, cold tolerant, with a long vegetative cycle and erect habit, and bearing pods on upper parts of the branches to facilitate mechanical harvesting. The ideotype for spring sowing was the one characterized by the Italian landraces and has a short vegetative cycle, a good adaptability to both southern and central Italian environments, high yield and good grain quality. After agronomical trials, carried out in different locations for several years, two lines were selected for winter sowing and another two for spring sowing and proposed for release as new cultivars.