Chickpea is cultivated in Yugoslavia on a small area of about 2500 ha. However, the crop plays an important role in the production of vegetable proteins in general. Chickpea production has been traditional in Yugoslavia and it has been always performed on small private holdings. Chickpea is mainly cultivated in the regions influenced by the Mediterranean climate and is sown in the spring. There are a number of autochtonous populations created in specific ecological conditions of different regions. They are polymorphic populations with large grains (macrosperma), lightly coloured, and represent a rich source for developing new varieties of chickpea.