Improving Plant Disease Classification with Deep-Learning-Based Prediction Model Using Explainable Artificial Intelligence

Abstract

Plant diseases can have profound effects on the economy, impacting both local and global scales. These diseases can lead to substantial losses in agricultural productivity, affecting crop yields and quality. In this context, deep learning algorithms are widely acknowledged as effective solutions. However, the use of these black-box approaches raises concerns about trust in interpreting and validating the decisions generated by the models. This study proposes an explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) based plant disease classification system to classify and identify distinct ailments with improved accuracy. The system correctly identifies 38 different plant diseases with accuracy, precision, and recall as 99.69%, 98.27%, and 98.26%, respectively. These predictions are subjected to additional analysis employing the local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME) framework to produce visual explanations aligning with prior beliefs and adhering to established best practices in explanations. This system will serve as a promising avenue for revolutionizing disease detection, fostering informed decision-making, and ultimately contributing to global food security.