Optimizing Leafnet for Better Rice Leaf Disease Classification

Timely identification of plant diseases is crucial for safeguarding crop yields and ensuring effective disease management. In this research, we perform a comparative study of multiple deep learning models for classifying rice leaf diseases using the Rice Leaf Dataset. The classification phase involves evaluating LeafNet, a Modified LeafNet, MobileNetV2, Xception, NasNetMobile, and an ensemble model combining LeafNet with NasNetMobile. For leaf abnormality detection, we employ object detection architectures from the YOLO family, including YOLOV5x6, YOLOV5s6, YOLOV8n, and YOLOV9n. The primary objective is to enhance accuracy in both disease classification and abnormality detection, thereby supporting precision agriculture practices. Through extensive experimentation, we identify the models that deliver superior performance in their respective tasks. The findings highlight the value of advanced machine learning approaches in modern agriculture, enabling early intervention, efficient disease control, and optimized resource use in rice production.