The objectives of this paper are to investigate the response of chickpea growing on two iron (Fe) chlorosisinducing calcareous soils, with different Fe availability, generously supplied with phosphate (P), and to evaluate the effectiveness of a mixture of organic acids (citric, oxalic and malic) to alleviate Fe chlorosis symptoms. Application of P (+P treatment) aggravated Fe deficiency irrespective of the soil. Phosphorus-induced Fe chlorosis was alleviated when organic acids were also applied to the soil (+P+OA treatment), which was reflected in increased leaf chlorophyll concentration and decreased root ferric reductase activity in the plants growing on both soils; the effect was stronger for plants grown on the soil with the lowest Fe-available content. However, Fe chlorosis was still more severe than in the control (-P treatment) plants. The need of -P treatment plants to explore soil in order to take up nutrients is reflected in their root architecture, reduced root diameter and increased length, surface and volume relative to +P and +P+OA roots. Organic acids alleviate Fe chlorosis in function of non crystalline Fe oxides content but inhibit the root response mechanisms as a consequence of increasing Fe concentration in the soil solution.