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The Times of India
The Times of India
World
TOI World Desk

A farmer lost 25 acres of crops after an AI app advised a pesticide mix to control weeds and pests, which killed the crop within 24 hours

A 67-year-old farmer in China's Anhui province reportedly lost almost 25 acres of sesame after following pesticide advice generated by an AI app. The farmer had been using the technology for more than a year and had grown confident in its recommendations for farming decisions. On July 10, 2026, he asked the app how to deal with weeds and pests in his sesame field. The AI produced a pesticide plan that included several chemicals. He followed the advice and used a drone to spray his entire field. By the next day, the sesame plants had reportedly wilted and died. The farmer estimated his financial loss at around 150,000 yuan.

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