Summary
The addition of small quantity of potassium acetate to the fertilizer applied to tea bushes was an effective method of reducing infestation by the beetle pest,Xyleborus fornicatus. The mechanism of action of potassium acetate is discussed as being due to its conversion to saponins and/or sterol analogues which interfere with pupation of the beetle larvae.
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Wickremasinghe, R.L., Thirugnanasuntheram, K. Biochemical approach to the control ofXyleborus fornicatus (Coleoptera: Scolytidae). Plant Soil 55, 9–15 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02149703
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02149703