Guangdong lychee farmers adopt AI for disease, pest detection

In line with Guangdong province's plan to integrate AI into agriculture this year, Gaozhou, a county-level city of Maoming, has employed an optimized AI model in its lychee industry.

In the lychee orchards of Gaozhou's Baiqiao village, the AI model connects data on pest and disease control and weather information.

"The model facilitates AI precision guidance and data-driven decision-making in lychee production management," said Xu Hong, head of the comprehensive department of the agricultural and rural affairs center of Maoming.

Pest and disease diagnosis has shifted from manual experience-based judgment to AI analysis that takes seconds, with accuracy improved to 95 percent and production efficiency increased by 30 percent, according to Xu.

Maoming experienced a bumper lychee harvest in 2025, with fresh fruit production exceeding 620,000 metric tons and exports reaching 8,183 tons.