Growth and yield of chickpeas (Cicer arietinumL.) was examined over two growing seasons (1990–91 and 1991–92) in Canterbury, New Zealand. The 1990–91 season was very suitable for chickpea growth and the seed yield was high at 345 g/m2. The 1991 ‐92 season was less suitable and seed yield was lower at only 187 g/m2. In both growing seasons the application of nitrogen (N) fertiliser increased seed yields, with 50 kg N/ha giving a 17% increase in 1990–91 and 100 kg N/ha giving a 43% yield increase in 1991 ‐92. Inoculation withRhizobiumhad no effect on yield. There was no benefit from increasing plant population, even though higher plant populations intercepted more solar radiation. This was primarily because of a reduced number of pods/plant at the higher plant populations. Response to sowing date suggests that spring sowings will be the highest yielding. Crops sown in winter yielded up to 700 g dry matter (DM)/ m2, but harvest index (HI) was low at only 0.25. The spring sowing produced 210 g seed/m2, from only 410 g of DM/m2giving a HI of 0.51.