Abstract BACKGROUND In recent years, the digital economy has developed rapidly in China. Its advantages in alleviating farmers' credit constraints, information constraints and facilitating risk diversification may be conducive to farmers' adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) technology. Based on survey data from 1108 kiwifruit growers, this article empirically analyzes the impact and mechanism of digital economy participation on farmers' adoption of IPM technology. RESULTS This study revealed that digital economy participation can significantly promote farmers' adoption of IPM technology. Different dimensions of digital economy: digital production, digital sales, and digital finance can significantly promote farmers' adoption of IPM technology, with the impact effects in descending order being digital sales, digital finance, and digital production. Participation in the digital economy can promote farmers' adoption of IPM technology through premium incentive, improving farmers' technical cognition level, and enhancing their risk resistance. In terms of the sub‐dimensions of the digital economy, premium incentive is the primary mechanism for digital production and digital sales, while risk resistance is the dominant mechanism in digital finance. Moreover, digital economy participation has a greater impact effect on the adoption of IPM technology among younger farmers, those with higher education, and those with larger planting areas. CONCLUSION This article emphasizes the importance of farmers' participation in the digital economy for the diffusion of IPM technology and provide insights from the digital economy for countries that are actively promoting IPM technology. Policymakers should encourage farmers to participate in the digital economy and provide convenient conditions for this. © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.
Li et al. (Mon,) studied this question.