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The presented study is a comprehensive report on the qualitative configuration of crop quality, essential oil percentage and oil yield in berseem clover and basil under limited irrigation and additive intercropping systems using a nonionic surfactant. This experimental field study was conducted in the 2012-2014 growing seasons to identify the best combination of irrigation level, sowing pattern and water treatment for basil oil content and yield, and berseem clover with an acceptable forage quality for arid and semi-arid regions. The limited irrigation treatments comprised of full irrigation, I-100 (100%), moderately limited, 1(75) (75%), and severely limited, I-50 (50%). The planting systems of sole berseem clover and sole basil culture, along with the additive intercropping of berseem clover and 50% basil, were assigned to the plots under water treatment alone (control) and water with surfactant setups. Results show that, as the severity of drought stress increased (I-50), dry matter digestibility of berseem clover in I-50 with surfactant decreased moderately when compared to I-50 irrigation alone. Crude protein, water-soluble carbohydrates and neutral detergent fiber percentages followed increasing trends in limited irrigation systems in water treatments both with and without surfactant. All forage quality traits of berseem clover were improved in the additive intercropping treatment (legume-basil mixture). Application of surfactant was favorable to a sole basil culture, enhancing the essential oil percentage as well as oil yield under a deficit irrigation treatment. The highest essential oil yield (11.45 kg ha(-1)) was achieved in the I-75 with surfactant treatment. Additionally, the basil essential oil yield increased during sole cropping in comparison with the mixed cropping system. The water use efficiency in the intercropping system across surfactants in arid and semi-arid regions was improved during the warm season when soil water availability decreased due to the high temperature and low precipitation. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.