noun
- Plural of demeton; a class of organophosphate insecticides used to control aphids and other pests on crops.
Usage: technical; agriculture; often used in the form demeton-S-methyl or demeton-O-methyl
Examples
- Demetons were widely applied to cotton and vegetable crops in the mid-20th century.
- The farmer used demetons to protect the apple orchard from persistent aphid infestations.
- Regulatory agencies have restricted the use of demetons due to toxicity concerns.
- Demetons work by disrupting the nervous system of target insects.