In Nanning, located in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, artificial intelligence is being integrated into agricultural production to support data-driven decision-making, risk management, and process optimisation across the farming value chain. The approach marks a shift from traditional experience-based farming toward technology-supported management systems.
In the first half of this year, vegetable production, including edible fungi, increased by 3.7% year on year.
AI systems are now used for pest and disease detection in fruit production. Through a WeChat mini program or mobile app, citrus growers can upload images of affected fruit or leaves for diagnosis. The platform identifies citrus diseases with 95% accuracy and provides expert consultation services for treatment.
"The app works like an expert, helping us quickly identify and diagnose citrus diseases. It's extremely effective," said Su Jianquan, an orah mandarin grower in Nanning's Wuming district. His orchards produced more than 70,000 kilograms of fruit last year.
The application, developed by Guangxi Huiyun Information Technology Co., Ltd., uses AI, Internet of Things (IoT), and big data to classify pest and disease types and suggest preventive measures. The technology reduces the time between detection and treatment, helping growers manage disease outbreaks more efficiently.
The Nanning Plant Protection Station has also deployed smart pest and disease monitoring equipment across the city. The municipal bureau of agriculture and rural affairs stated that 19 national and regional field monitoring stations have been established, equipped with 80 advanced devices, including intelligent pest-monitoring lamps. Real-time data from the system is combined with field observations to predict optimal treatment periods for major pests such as planthoppers and stem borers.
AI-supported processing is further applied in fruit sorting. Guangxi Qifeng Juzhou Fruit Industry Co., Ltd. uses automated grading systems to sort orah mandarins by size, color, sugar content, and surface defects to meet national quality standards.
Source: People's Daily Online
