Fenitrothion is a cholinesterase inhibitor, a non-systemic insecticide and acaricide with contact and stomach action. It is used in crop protection to control chewing, sucking and boring insects in fruit, rice, sugar cane, vegetables, turf vines, forestry and in locust control. In public health it is used to control a wide range of household insect pests and is extensively used in the post-harvest treatment of maize, barley and other grain during storage and malting for the control of stored product insects. It can be used as an admixture with other insecticides including carbamates and pyrethroids to control a wide range of insect pests. Formulations include emulsifiable concentrates, wettable powders, granules, dusting powders, aerosols and ultra-low volume space sprays.

It can be used on its own or in combination with other insecticides and the synergist piperonal butoxide that enhances the activity of an insecticide and assists in overcoming metabolic (detoxification) resistance.