A Deep Learning Model for Classifying Black Sigatoka Disease in Banana Leaves Based on Infection Stages

Objective: This research study aims to develop an efficient deep-learning model to detect and classify stages of Black Sigatoka disease in banana plants. Methods: In this study, deep learning techniques, specifically the basic Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and VGG16 models, were used to address the challenge of identifying Black Sigatoka disease in banana leaves early on. The tests were conducted on a dataset containing labelled images of banana leaves, assessing their effectiveness based on criteria such as accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score after adjusting hyperparameters for optimal outcomes. Findings: The results of the trials revealed that the basic CNN model attained a training accuracy of 96% and a validation accuracy of 89%, surpassing the performance of the VGG16 model. The VGG16 model, on the other hand, had a training accuracy of 92% and a validation accuracy of 89%. Across precision, recall, and F1 score measurements, the basic CNN model consistently outperformed the VGG16 model, with scores averaging 0.90 for all three metrics compared to VGG16's precision of 0.80, recall of 0.75, and F1 score of 0.75. The CNN model demonstrated its efficiency by stopping training at 26 epochs, whereas VGG16 completed training in 21 epochs. This demonstrates its effectiveness in detecting Black Sigatoka while utilising minimal resources. Novelty: A significant component of this study is its emphasis on identifying the stages of Black Sigatoka disease, which is commonly overlooked in research. By studying disease progression, this study provides insights for early intervention and disease management, aiding efforts to lessen the impact of Black Sigatoka on banana farming. Keywords: Black Sigatoka, Deep Learning, Disease Stages, Convolutional Neural Network, Classification, Identification