Intercropping barley with legume plants can increase phosphorus uptake and plant growth. Different barley cultivars and legume species were grown together to see how they performed in low, medium, and high phosphorus soil conditions. Barley-legume intercropping led to more phosphorus uptake and biomass compared to growing them alone, especially when soil phosphorus was low. Intercropping barley with other barley plants did not show the same benefits. The combination of barley and legume plants did not affect the results, showing that diversity in plant species can reduce competition for phosphorus. This study suggests that intercropping barley with legumes could be a sustainable way to improve crop production, especially in soils with low phosphorus levels.