Did you know that long-term fertilization has a significant impact on soil properties? Research dating back to 1971 reveals that applying NPK fertilizers can boost crop yields by 21.5-47.0 GJ ha⁻¹. However, overuse of nitrogen alone can lead to increased nitrate leaching—up to 510 kg ha⁻¹—especially when potassium and phosphorus are not also applied. On the flip side, using phosphorus at higher rates can substantially raise soil P2O5 content. Interestingly, even with high fertilizer rates, phosphate leaches only up to 40 cm deep, while potassium loss can be more substantial. For the best results in crop rotation, the ideal fertilizer mix is N 108, P 64, K 96.