Abstract:Resources are limited, thus improving resource use efficiency is a key objective for cereal-based cropping systems. This field study was carried out to quantify resource use efficiencies in selected C 3 and C 4 cereals under split nitrogen (N) application regimes. The study included the following treatments: six cereals (three C 3 : wheat, oat, and barley; and three C 4 : maize, millet, and sorghum) and four split N application regimes (NS 1 = full amount of N at sowing; NS 2 = half N at sowing + half N at first irrigation; NS 3 = Results revealed that C 4 cereals out-yielded C 3 cereals in terms of biomass production, grain yield, and resource use efficiencies (i.e., radiation use efficiency (RUE) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE)), while splitting N into three applications proved to be a better strategy for all of the selected winter and summer cereals. The results suggest that C 4 cereals should be added into existing cereal-based cropping systems and N application done in three installments to boost productivity and higher resource use efficiency to ensure food security for the burgeoning population.