Used as a Spray or Fumigant

• Lindane used as a foliar trunk spray works when applied to the trunk and branches of a citrus tree, or when applied as a ring to the base of the tree to discourage insects from infesting the tree. The product may be applied at any time in the tree cycle, though toxicity risk increases if the tree has already fruited. When used as a fume, the citrus tree is tented and a mist of a commercial product containing lindane is sprayed under the tent.
  
  

Citrus Pests

• Using lindane as a spray or fumigant is effective in killing and controlling a number of pests that prey on citrus trees. Symphilids, mealybugs, ants, large horned citrus bug, bronze orange bug, crusader bug, Fuller rose beetle and a number of treehopper species can all be controlled with applications of lindane.
  
  

Toxicity

• The most common human exposure to lindane is through consumption of citrus produce that has been sprayed during growing, especially if the peel of the fruit is consumed, though lindane also may seep into groundwater and build up in soil, releasing into the air by wind and erosion. Lindane has been linked to a variety of acute, chronic and reproductive effects and is considered to be a possible carcinogen, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
  
  

Production and Prohibition

• Lindane is no longer produced in the United States, though it is formulated in the United States. Aerial application of lindane to citrus orchards is prohibited. Commercial products that contain lindane must carry a warning label referencing the toxicity of the product.