The application of nitrogen (N), from different sources, in apple orchard can increase soil N content, affecting the plant's nutritional status and yield, but part of the N can be lost by leaching. With the aim of assessing plant nutritional status and yield, and N flow in the soil and solution an experiment was carried out in in an apple orchard in Southern Brazil, applying different N source. Selected plants received the following treatments: application of urea, pelletized urea or pig deep litter, besides a control without fertilization. In the 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 crop seasons, N contents in whole leaves were analyzed and plant growth and fruit yield parameters were measured. Soil and soil solution samples were collected and the NH4 +-N and NO3 --N contents were analyzed during the second crop season. Application of pig deep litter, urea and pelletized urea increased apple yield in the second crop season, with no differences among treatments in leaf total N content at any time period. The application of N to the soil affected the flow of nutrient forms in the soil and in the solution throughout the apple crop cycle, with small increases in soil and in solution contents in periods near the application of the different N sources to the soil
fertilization; mineral nitrogen; Malus domestica
