Seeds of nine varieties of chickpea,Cicer arietinumL. were treated with different dose levels of mustard oil for assessing the efficacy of the oil against the attack of chickpea bruchidCallosobruchus chinensis.The treated seeds after two years of storage were subjected to germination tests to find out any deterrent effect of oil on the germination. Oil treatments could not impart protection to any of the ILC‐genotypes. The varieties CM‐72, NEC‐138–2, C‐141, HG‐202–6–1 and ICCL‐11514 were completely protected for five months at 10 ml oil/kg seed. Significant interaction among the genotypes was found. Maximum bruchid emergence was noted in ILC‐varieties. Oil treatment at 10 ml/kg seeds caused 100% germination inhibition in all the ILC‐genotypes.