Optimized Classification of Potato Leaf Disease using EfficientNet-LITE and KE-SVM in Diverse Environments

Sangar G ^* Rajasekar V

• SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Vadapalani Campus, Chennai, India

Potatoes are a vital global product, and prompt identification of foliar diseases is imperative for sustaining healthy yields. Computer vision is essential in precision agriculture, facilitating automated disease diagnosis and decision-making through real-time data. Inconsistent data in uncontrolled contexts undermines classic image classification techniques, hindering precise illness detection. We present a novel model that integrates EfficientNet-LITE for enhanced feature extraction with KE-SVM Optimization for effective classification. KE-SVM Optimization cross-references misclassified instances with correct classifications across kernels, iteratively refining the confusion matrix to improve accuracy across all classes. EfficientNet-LITE improves the model's emphasis on pertinent features through Channel Attention (CA) and 1-D Local Binary Pattern (LBP), while preserving computational economy with a reduced model size of 12.46 MB, fewer parameters at 3.11M, and a diminished FLOP count of 359.69 MFLOPs. Before optimization, the SVM classifier attained an accuracy of 79.38% on uncontrolled data and 99.07% on laboratory-controlled data. Following the implementation of KE-SVM Optimization, accuracy increased to 87.82% for uncontrolled data and 99.54% for laboratory-controlled data. The model's efficiency and improved accuracy render it especially appropriate for settings with constrained computational resources, such as mobile or edge devices, offering substantial practical advantages for precision agriculture.