A field experiment was conducted on light textured soil at Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India during rabi season of 1994-95 and 1995-96 to study the effect of 4 cropping systems (barley pure, safflower pure, barley+safflower-6:1 and barley+safflower-9:1) and 3 nitrogen levels (0, 20 and 40 kg.ha-) on grain yield, total water use and water use efficiency under rainfed condition. Safflower pure recorded the highest grain yield (26.66 g.ha-1), water use efficiency (12.32 kg grain ha-1 mm-1), net return (Rs. 9443 ha-1) and cost:benefit ratio (1:1.95) followed by barley+safflower (6:1) and the lowest under barley pure. Optimum barley equivalent grain yield (22.24 q. ha-1), total water use (242.4 mm), water use efficiency (9.77 kg grain ha-1 mm-1), net return (Rs. 2980 ha-1) and cost:benefit ratio can be obtained by applying 40 kg N ha-1.

barley, cost benefit analysis, crop yield, economicanalysis, intercropping, nitrogen fertilizers, plant water relations,returns, safflower, sole cropping, water use, water use efficiency,yield components, India, Uttar Pradesh, Carthamus tinctorius, Hordeumvulgare, Carthamus, Asteraceae, Asterales, dicotyledons, angiosperms,Spermatophyta, plants, eukaryotes, Hordeum, Poaceae, Cyperales,monocotyledons, South Asia, Asia, Developing Countries, Commonwealth ofNations, India, Agricultural Economics (EE110), Field Crops (FF005) (NewMarch 2000), Plant Water Relations (FF062), Plant Production (FF100),Plant Cropping Systems (FF150), Fertilizers and other Amendments (JJ700)

• Journal Article

• Cropping Systems