In order to reduce handling hazards, aldicarb is only available as a granular mix that is typically drilled into the soil during the planting of crops or at various stages of growth. Groundwater then solubilizes the insecticide so that it may be absorbed through the roots of plants and translocated throughout the organisms, effectively exterminating any insects that feed on their foliage as well as any nearby nematodes. Aldicarb is most commonly applied to peanut, cotton, and soybean crops, but it was also formerly popular as an insecticide for potatoes. However, in 1990, the manufacturer voluntarily put an end to its sale of the carbamate for this purpose due to concerns about groundwater contamination.