A shift of chickpea culture from summer to winter sowing in California revealed viruses as major production constraints. The incidence of viruses in field trials at Davis, Salinas, and the San Joaquin valley was 60-100%. Six viruses were detected: beet western yellows (BWYV), legume yellows (LYV), subterranean clover red leaf (SCRLV), alfalfa mosaic (AMV), cucumber mosaic (CMV), and lettuce mosaic (LMV). Three aphids were confirmed vectors: Myzus persicae (of BWYV and LMV), Aphis craccivora (of CMV), and Acyrthosiphon pisum (of LYV, SCRLV, and AMV). Aphid monitoring at Davis showed a peak in March-April, followed by high levels of virus incidence. Aphid survival and fecundity in greenhouse trials were markedly less on chickpean varieties with glandular hair exudates than on a hairless variety. Vectors survived long enough, however, to efficiently transmit viruses. Young plants infected with viruses were often killed; infection at later stages had less affect. Virus incidence and yield loss varied among varieties, indicating that selection for low virus incidence (tolremicity) should be a breeding objective.