Machine vision detection of pests, diseases, and weeds: A review

Most of mankind’s living and workspace have been or going to be blended with smart technologies like the Internet of Things. The industrial domain has embraced automation technology, but agriculture automation is still in its infancy since the espousal has high investment costs and little commercialization of innovative technologies due to reliability issues. Machine vision is a potential technique for surveillance of crop health which can pinpoint the geolocation of crop stress in the field. Early statistics on crop health can hasten prevention strategies such as pesticide, fungicide applications to reduce the pollution impact on water, soil, and air ecosystems. This paper condenses the proposed machine vision relate research literature in agriculture to date to explore various pests, diseases, and weeds detection mechanisms

An Integrative Approach Towards Recommending Farming Solutions for Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable Agriculture is rapidly emerging as an important discipline to meet societal needs for food and other resources by adopting paradigms of conserving natural resources while maximizing productivity benefits. This paper proposes an integrative methodological approach for critically analyzing Precision Farming (PF) paradigms and Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF), providing sustainable farming solutions and achieving productivity and profitability. This paper analyses the productivity of crops in PF using various machine learning (ML) algorithms based on different soil and climatic factors to identify sustainable agricultural practices for maximizing crop production and generating recommendations for the farmers. When implemented on the collected dataset from various Indian states, the Random Forest (RF) model produced the best results with an AUC-ROC of 95.7%. The Juxtaposition of ZBNF and non-ZBNF is evinced. ZBNF is statistically (p<0.05) observed to be a cost-efficient and more profitable alternative. The impact of ZBNF on soil microbial diversity and micro-nutrients is also discussed

Symptoms Based Image Predictive Analysis for Citrus Orchards Using Machine Learning Techniques: A Review

In Agriculture, orchards are the deciding factor in the country’s economy. There are many orchards, and citrus and sugarcane will cover 60 percent of them. These citrus orchards satisfy the necessity of citrus fruits and citrus products, and these citrus fruits contain more vitamin C. The citrus orchards have had some problems generating good yields and quality products. Pathogenic diseases, pests, and water shortages are the three main problems that plants face. Farmers can find these problems early on with the support of machine learning and deep learning, which may also change how they feel about technology.  By doing this in agriculture, the farmers can cut off the major issues of yield and quality losses. This review gives enormous methods for identifying and classifying plant pathogens, pests, and water stresses using image-based work. In this review, the researchers present detailed information about citrus pathogens, pests, and water deficits. Methods and techniques that are currently available will be used to validate the problem. These will include pre-processing for intensification, segmentation, feature extraction, and selection processes, machine learning-based classifiers, and deep learning models. In this work, researchers thoroughly examine and outline the various research opportunities in the field. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of citrus plants and orchards; Researchers used a systematic review to ensure comprehensive coverage of this topic

Comparison of Classical Computer Vision vs. Convolutional Neural Networks for Weed Mapping in Aerial Images

In this paper, we present a comparison between convolutional neural networks and classicalcomputer vision approaches, for the specific precision agriculture problem of weed mapping on sugarcane fields aerial images. A systematic literature review was conducted to find which computer vision methods are being used on this specific problem. The most cited methods were implemented, as well as four models of convolutional neural networks. All implemented approaches were tested using the same dataset, and their results were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. The obtained results were compared to a human expert made ground truth, for validation. The results indicate that the convolutional neural networks present better precision and generalize better than the classical model

Development of soft computing and applications in agricultural and biological engineering

Soft computing is a set of “inexact” computing techniques, which are able to model and analyze very complex problems. For these complex problems, more conventional methods have not been able to produce cost-effective, analytical, or complete solutions. Soft computing has been extensively studied and applied in the last three decades for scientific research and engineering computing. In agricultural and biological engineering, researchers and engineers have developed methods of fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks, genetic algorithms, decision trees, and support vector machines to study soil and water regimes related to crop growth, analyze the operation of food processing, and support decision-making in precision farming. This paper reviews the development of soft computing techniques. With the concepts and methods, applications of soft computing in the field of agricultural and biological engineering are presented, especially in the soil and water context for crop management and decision support in precision agriculture. The future of development and application of soft computing in agricultural and biological engineering is discussed

Methods for sugarcane harvest detection using polarimetric SAR

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Remote sensing has long been used as a method for crop harvest monitoring and harvest classification. Harvest monitoring is necessary for the planning of and prompting of effective agricultural practices. Traditionally sugarcane harvest monitoring and classification within the realm of remote sensing is performed with the use of optical data. However, when monitoring sugarcane, the growth period of the crop requires a complete set of multi-temporal image acquisitions throughout the year. Due to the limitations associated with optical sensors, the use of all weather, daylight independent Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors is required. The added polarimetric information associated with fully polarimetric SAR sensors result in complex datasets which are expensive to acquire. It is therefore important to assess the benefits of using a fully polarimetric dataset for sugarcane harvest monitoring as opposed to a dual polarimetric dataset. The dual polarimetric dataset which is less complex in nature and can be acquired at a fee much less than that of the fully polarimetric dataset. This thesis undertakes the task of identifying the value of fully polarimetric data for sugarcane harvest identification and classification. Two main experiments were designed in order to complete the task. The experiments make use of fully polarimetric RADARSAT-2 C-band imagery covering the southern part of Rèunion Island. Experiment 1 made use of a multi temporal single feature differencing technique for sugarcane harvest identification. Polarimetric decompositions were extracted from the fully polarimetric data and used along with the inherent SAR features. The accuracy with which each SAR feature was able to predict the sugarcane harvest date for each field was assessed. The polarimetric decompositions were superior in classification accuracy to the inherent SAR features. The Van Zyl volume decomposition component achieved an accuracy of 88.33% whereas the inherent SAR backscatter feature (HV) achieved an accuracy of 80%. Hereby displaying the value of the added information associated with fully polarimetric SAR data. The SAR backscatter channels did not achieve accuracies as high as the polarimetric features but did display promise for single feature sugarcane harvest identification when using only a dual polarimetric dataset. Experiment 2 assessed six different machine learning classifiers, applied to single-date, dual- and fully polarized imagery, to determine appropriate combinations of machine learning classifier and SAR features. Polarimetric decompositions were extracted from the fully polarimetric data and mean texture measures were then calculated for all SAR features for both the dual- and full polatrimetric data. A multi-tiered feature reduction method was undertaken in order to reduce dataset dimensionality for the dual- and fully polarised datasets. In general, the reduction in features resulted in improved accuracies. The best sugarcane harvest accuracy was achieved using the Maximum likelihood classifier using on the HV and VV backscatter channels (96.18%). The results from Experiments 1 and 2 indicate that SAR C-band data is suitable for sugarcane harvest monitoring and mapping in a tropical region where optical data have limitations associated with cloud cover and large amounts of moisture in the atmosphere. With the availability of dual polarised Sentinel-1 SAR data, future research should be focussed on the use of a dual polarimetric sugarcane harvest monitoring tool and should be extended to focus not only on sugarcane but other crops which contribute largely to the agriculture and economic sectors.AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Afstandswaarneming word lankal reeds gebruik as ‘n metode in die monitering van die oes van gewasse asook vir oes-klassifikasie. Oes-monitering is nodig vir die beplanning en stimulering van effektiewe landboupraktyke. Tradisioneel word suikerriet oes-monitering en klassifisering, binne die raamwerk van afstandswaarneming, uitgevoer met die gebruik van optiese data. Tog, met die monitering van suikerriet, vereis die groeiperiode van die gewas ‘n volledige stel multi-temporale beeldverwerwings dwarsdeur die jaar. As gevolg van die beperkings geassosieer met optiese sensors, word die gebruik van daglig onafhanklike sintetiese gaatjie radar sensors, eerder bekend as Sintetiese Apertuur Radar (SAR) sensors, vir gebruik in alle weersomstandighede, vereis. Die bykomende polarimetriese informasie geassosieer met ten volle gepolarimetriese SAR sensors lei tot komplekse datastelle wat duur is om aan te skaf. Dit is daarom belangrik om die voordele van die gebruik van ‘n ten volle gepolarimetriese datastel vir suikerriet oes-monitering in teenstelling met ‘n tweeledige polarimetriese datastel wat minder kompleks van aard is en teen ‘n fooi veel minder as dié van die ten volle gepolarimetriese datastel verkry kan word, te evalueer. Hierdie tesis onderneem die taak van die identifisering van die waarde van ten volle gepolarimetriese data vir suikerriet oes-identifikasie en -klassifikasie. Twee hoof-eksperimente is ontwerp om die taak te voltooi. Die eksperimente gebruik ten volle gepolarimetriese RADARSAT-2 C-band beelde wat die suidelike deel van Reunion-eiland dek. Met eksperiment 1 is gebruik gemaak van 'n multi-temporale enkelkenmerk differensie- tegniek vir suikerriet oes-identifisering. Polarimetriese ontledings is uit die ten volle gepolarimetriese data geneem en saam met die inherente SAR kenmerke gebruik. Die akkuraatheid waarmee elke SAR kenmerk in staat was om die suikerriet oes-datum vir elke veld te voorspel, is geëvalueer. Die polarimetriese ontledings was beter in klassifikasie- akkuraatheid as die inherente SAR kenmerke. Hiermee word die waarde van die bykomende inligting geassosieer met ten volle gepolarimetriese SAR data, geopenbaar. Die SAR teruguitsaaiingskanale het nie akkuraathede so hoog soos die polarimetriese kenmerke bereik nie, maar het belofte getoon vir enkelkenmerk suikerriet oes-identifikasie wanneer slegs van 'n tweeledige polarimetriese datastel gebruik gemaak word. Met eksperiment 2 is ses verskillende masjien-leer klassifiseerders, toegepas op enkeldatum, tweeledige en ten volle gepolariseerde beelde, geëvalueer om toepaslike kombinasies van masjien-leer klassifiseerder en SAR kenmerke te bepaal. Polarimetriese ontledings is geneem uit die ten volle gepolarimetriese data en beteken dat tekstuur afmetings toe bereken is vir alle SAR kenmerke vir beide die tweeledige- en ten volle gepolarimetriese data. 'n Multi-reeks kenmerkreduksie-metode is onderneem om datasteldimensionaliteit te verminder vir die tweeledige- en ten volle gepolariseerde datastelle. Oor die algemeen het die redusering van kenmerke verbeterde akkuraatheid tot gevolg gehad. Die beste suikerriet oes-akkuraatheid is behaal deur die Maksimum waarskynlikheid klassifiseerder met behulp van die HV en VV teruguitsaaiingskanale (96,18%) te gebruik. Die resultate van eksperimente 1 en 2 dui daarop dat SAR C-band data geskik is vir suikerriet oes- monitering en kartering in 'n tropiese streek waar optiese data beperkings toon wat geassosieer word met wolkbedekking en groot hoeveelhede vog in die atmosfeer. Met die beskikbaarheid van tweeledige gepolariseerde Sentinel-1 SAR data, behoort toekomstige navorsing gefokus te wees op die gebruik van 'n tweeledige polarimetriese suikerriet oes- moniteringshulpmiddel en behoort dit uitgebrei te word om te fokus nie net op suikerriet nie, maar ook ander gewasse wat grootliks bydra tot die landbou- en ekonomiese sektore

Mapping of multitemporal rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth stages using remote sensing with multi-sensor and machine learning : a thesis dissertation presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Earth Science at Massey University, Manawatū, New Zealand

Figure 2.1 is adapted and re-used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.Rice (Oryza Sativa) plays a pivotal role in food security for Asian countries, especially in Indonesia. Due to the increasing pressure of environmental changes, such as land use and climate, rice cultivation areas need to be monitored regularly and spatially to ensure sustainable rice production. Moreover, timely information of rice growth stages (RGS) can lead to more efficient of inputs distribution from water, seed, fertilizer, and pesticide. One of the efficient solutions for regularly mapping the rice crop is using Earth observation satellites. Moreover, the increasing availability of open access satellite images such as Landsat-8, Sentinel-1, and Sentinel-2 provides ample opportunities to map continuous and high-resolution rice growth stages with greater accuracy. The majority of the literature has focused on mapping rice area, cropping patterns and relied mainly on the phenology of vegetation. However, the mapping process of RGS was difficult to assess the accuracy, time-consuming, and depended on only one sensor. In this work, we discuss the use of machine learning algorithms (MLA) for mapping paddy RGS with multiple remote sensing data in near-real-time. The study area was Java Island, which is the primary rice producer in Indonesia. This study has investigated: (1) the mapping of RGS using Landsat-8 imagery and different MLAs, and their rigorous performance was evaluated by conducting a multitemporal analysis; (2) the temporal consistency of predicting RGS using Sentinel-2, MOD13Q1, and Sentinel-1 data; (3) evaluating the correlation of local statistics data and paddy RGS using Sentinel-2, PROBA-V, and Sentinel-1 with MLAs. The ground truth datasets were collected from multi-year web camera data (2014-2016) and three months of the field campaign in different regions of Java (2018). The study considered the RGS in the analysis to be vegetative, reproductive, ripening, bare land, and flooding, and MLAs such as support vector machines (SVMs), random forest (RF), and artificial neural network (ANN) were used. The temporal consistency matrix was used to compare the classification maps within three sensor datasets (Landsat-8 OLI, Sentinel-2, and Sentinel-2, MOD13Q1, Sentinel-1) and in four periods (5, 10, 15, 16 days). Moreover, the result of the RGS map was also compared with monthly data from local statistics within each sub-district using cross-correlation analysis. The result from the analysis shows that SVM with a radial base function outperformed the RF and ANN and proved to be a robust method for small-size datasets (< 1,000 points). Compared to Sentinel-2, Landsat-8 OLI gives less accuracy due to the lack of a red-edge band and larger pixel size (30 x 30 m). Integration of Sentinel-2, MOD13Q1, and Sentinel-1 improved the classification performance and increased the temporal availability of cloud-free maps. The integration of PROBA-V and Sentinel-1 improved the classification accuracy from the Landsat-8 result, consistent with the monthly rice planting area statistics at the sub-district level. The western area of Java has the highest accuracy and consistency since the cropping pattern only relied on rice cultivation. In contrast, less accuracy was noticed in the eastern area because of upland rice cultivation due to limited irrigation facilities and mixed cropping. In addition, the cultivation of shallots to the north of Nganjuk Regency interferes with the model predictions because the cultivation of shallots resembles the vegetative phase due to the water banks. One future research idea is the auto-detection of the cropping index in the complex landscape to be able to use it for mapping RGS on a global scale. Detection of the rice area and RGS using Google Earth Engine (GEE) can be an action plan to disseminate the information quickly on a planetary scale. Our results show that the multitemporal Sentinel-1 combined with RF can detect rice areas with high accuracy (>91%). Similarly, accurate RGS maps can be detected by integrating multiple remote sensing (Sentinel-2, Landsat-8 OLI, and MOD13Q1) data with acceptable accuracy (76.4%), with high temporal frequency and lower cloud interference (every 16 days). Overall, this study shows that remote sensing combined with the machine learning methodology can deliver information on RGS in a timely fashion, which is easy to scale up and consistent both in time and space and matches the local statistics. This thesis is also in line with the existing rice monitoring projects such as Crop Monitor, Crop Watch, AMIS, and Sen4Agri to support disseminating information over a large area. To sum up, the proposed workflow and detailed map provide a more accurate method and information in near real-time for stakeholders, such as governmental agencies against the existing mapping method. This method can be introduced to provide accurate information to rice farmers promptly with sufficient inputs such as irrigation, seeds, and fertilisers for ensuring national food security from the shifting planting time due to climate change