Sole cropping systems are depleting the soil resources with simultaneous decrease in productivity of field crops, especially cereals. In this scenario, intercropping cereals and legumes might be a pragmatic option to improve the system productivity and profitability. This two-year field study was conducted to test the productivity of barley-lentil intercropping system with different planting techniques. The experiment consisted of ten different treatments, i.e., i) lentil alone sown in 30 cm spaced single rows, ii) 3-rows of lentil on beds with 45 cm irrigation furrows, iii) 4-rows of lentil on beds with 60 cm irrigation furrows, iv) 6-rows of lentil on beds with 90 cm irrigation furrows, v) 8-rows of lentil on beds with 120 cm irrigation furrows, vi) 3-rows of lentil on beds with barley in 45 cm irrigation furrows, vii) 4-rows of lentil on beds with barley in 60 cm irrigation furrows, viii) 6-rows of lentil on beds with barley in 90 cm irrigation furrows, ix) 8-rows of lentil on beds with barley in 120 cm irrigation furrows and x) barley alone. The results indicated that all intercropping systems reduced the barley and lentil yield to a significant extent compared with monoculture of both crops. However, in barley production, the extra harvest obtained from lentil intercropping resulted in higher productivity than barley monoculture. Barley-lentil intercropping had 69-86% yield advantage on mono-cropped barley with the highest income of US$ 1432.24 ha(-1). In terms of aggressivity, relative crowding coefficient and competitive ratio, barley was dominant crop in all treatments. There was a progressive decrease in the amount of water used with increase in the size of strip from 3 to 8 rows with 45 to 120 cm irrigation furrows. The maximum water use efficiency (3.55-4.84 kg/cf(3)) was recorded for 8-row strip system with 120 cm irrigation furrows as compared to all other planting geometries. In crux, 8-rows of lentil on beds with barley in 120 cm irrigation furrows proved the best intercropping system which provided the highest net income and benefit cost ratio, which could be used to maximize the productivity of barley-lentil intercropping system. (C) 2018 Friends Science Publishers