The variability in physicochemical, thermal, morphological and rheological properties of starches among six chickpea cultivars (GPF-2, PDG-4, L-550, GL-769, PBG-1, and PDG-3) was evaluated. Different chickpea cultivars resulted in starch yields of 29-35.2%, having amylose contents of 28.6-34.3%. Scanning electron micrographs of starches from different chickpea cultivars revealed the presence of smooth surfaced, oval to spherical shaped granules, with mean granule length and width in the range of 17.0-20.1 and 11.0-14.4 mum, respectively. Turbidity values of gelatinized pastes from all chickpea starches progressively increased during refrigerated storage. The DSC parameters such as transition temperatures (T-o, T-p and T-c), enthalpy of gelatinization (DeltaH(gel)), peak height index (PHI), and gelatinization temperature range (R) were measured. T-o, T-p, T-c and DeltaH(gel) of chickpea starches ranged between 61.5-64.8, 66.4-69.0, 71.3-73.8 degreesC and 7.2-8.7 J/g, respectively. PDG-4 starch differed significantly from starches of other cultivars in exhibiting highest T-o, T-p, T-c, DeltaH(gel), PHI and lower granule swelling. Pasting properties of chickpea starches measured using RVA, also differed significantly. Pasting temperatures, peak viscosity and final viscosity of starches from different chickpea cultivars ranged between 75.1-77.1 degreesC, 1107-2173 and 1639-3250 cP, respectively. It was observed that starches from cultivars with low swelling power had higher solubility and pasting temperature. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.