It is not directly toxic to the fungus but instead activates the natural defences of the crop in a manner similar to the known role of salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate.

The purpose of the label is "to provide clear directions for effective product performance while minimizing risks to human health and the environment".

As a seed treatment it is registered for use on cotton, sunflower and sorghum while for spraying it is licensed on a wide range of vegetable crops.

[18][19] The estimated annual use of acibenzolar-S-methyl in US agriculture is mapped by the US Geological Survey and shows a growing trend from its introduction in 2000 to 2017, the latest date for which figures are available.

It is sometimes mixed with other pesticides to provide an extra degree of control by activating the crop's defence mechanisms in addition to the lethal effect of the main ingredient.

[19] The Codex Alimentarius database maintained by the FAO lists the maximum residue limits for acibenzolar-S-methyl and its parent acid in various food products.

[21] Although fungal populations have the ability to develop resistance to fungicides, the mechanism of action of acibenzolar-S-methyl gives it an advantage over conventional pesticides owing to its lack of direct toxicity to fungi.