Why does your Cicer arietinum have sticky leaves? Diagnose the cause and fix it with our step-by-step guide.
Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that pierce the chickpea's phloem to suck sap, excreting a sugar-rich substance known as honeydew. This honeydew is the primary cause of the sticky residue on the leaf surfaces.
Whiteflies congregate on the underside of chickpea foliage, feeding on plant fluids and leaving behind sticky honeydew. Large numbers can also cause leaves to turn yellow or drop prematurely.
While not the primary cause of stickiness, sooty mold is a fungus that grows on the honeydew left by sap-sucking insects. It forms a black, crusty layer that can block sunlight from reaching the chickpea's photosynthetic cells.
Scale insects attach themselves firmly to chickpea stems and leaves, slowly extracting nutrients and secreting honeydew. They are much more stationary than aphids and often appear as small bumps.
Your plant might also be experiencing one of these issues:
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