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A cropping pattern of growing cereals after cereals in the arid area has further depleted the soil fertility. Improving or maintain fertility at existing level is possible through the changes in the existing cropping pattern as the farmers of dry land do not have the tradition and capacity to use costly fertilizers. A set of experiments were conducted at New Developmental Farm, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Agricultural University Peshawar, Pakistan during 2008-2010 to evaluate the effect of preceding cropping pattern and nitrogen application effect on rainfed wheat. Wheat variety Pirsabak-2005 was sown in a randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement, having three replications. Wheat was planted after the previous cropping patterns i.e., millet, sorghum, sesame, mungbean, guar and groundnut as sole and each in combination with groundnut were repeated for two consecutive years (2008-2010). Cropping pattern was allotted to main plot and current application of three levels of nitrogen (0,45 and 90 kg ha(-1)) to subplots. The results showed that cropping pattern of legumes (sole) as preceding crops has retained more soil N as compared with non-legumes(sole) followed by the groundnut+ sesame. Planned mean comparison exhibited that plots sown with legumes crops (groundnut, mungbean and guar) produced higher grain yields of wheat crop. Higher response of wheat to N application by the preceding cropping pattern of groundnut + sesame, groundnut + mungbean or sesame (sole) was observed. Significant increase in the grain yield and yield component were observed with application of N. As both soil N reserve and grain yield increased by preceding legumes (sole) or groundnut+ sesame, growing of legumes (sole) or intercropping of legumes+ sesame than cereal (sole) as preceding crop is suggested. N application of 45 kg ha-1 to rainfed wheat having legume as preceding crop is recommended. (C) 2013 Friends Science Publishers