Luteoviruses were recognized as a major cause of yellowing, leaf rolling and stunting in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in Syria. Aphid population dynamics in two consecutive seasons (١٩٨٩/٩٠ and ١٩٩٠/٩١) showed a peak in April followed by high levels of virus incidence and ranged between ٤ – ٧٨,٤ %. Different sowing dates of four chickpea varieties (local chickpea, Ghab١, Ghab٢ and Ghab٣) showed that early planting lead to disease escape, by avoiding early infection. The yield average of the four chickpea varieties was increased by ٢٦٠% in the first season and ١٤٠٪ in the second, when the crop was planted early. Weeds have been studied as a potential over-wintering hosts. A range of weed species mostly with yellows symptoms similar to those caused by luteoviruses were collected from the field trial and tested. They proved to host aphid vectors as well as luteoviruses.