The main goal of the project is to enhance production and productivity of chickpea under Mediterranean type environments through genetic and agronomic manipulation. Most chickpea cultivars grown by farmers in Mediterranean environments are susceptible to biotic (Ascochyta blight and Fusarium wilt) and abiotic (drought and cold) stresses, resulting in poor productivity. To overcome these constraints, this project aims to develop efficient and reliable field and laboratory screening techniques for the evaluation of germplasm and breeding materials for these stresses, understand their genetic bases, and develop efficient and high yielding cultivars with combined resistances to these stresses through conventional and molecular breeding approaches. The newly developed materials and methodologies will be shared with NARS in West Asia and North Africa and similar environments in Australia.