Balanced plant nutrition may help reduce pesticide use by improving tea plants' resistance to fungal diseases

摘要

Increasing efforts are being made to minimize pesticide use as a basic approach to controlling pest and disease incidence in tea and other plants. In China, where the soil is frequently deficient in potash, applying adequate amounts of this nutrient could help reduce the need for pesticides. Lower rates of infestation of tea plants by fungal disease in response to potassium added to the soil has been demonstrated.