Convolutional Neural Networks for the Automatic Identification of Plant Diseases

Deep learning techniques, and in particular Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), have led to significant progress in image processing. Since 2016, many applications for the automatic identification of crop diseases have been developed. These applications could serve as a basis for the development of expertise assistance or automatic screening tools. Such tools could contribute to more sustainable agricultural practices and greater food production security. To assess the potential of these networks for such applications, we survey 19 studies that relied on CNNs to automatically identify crop diseases. We describe their profiles, their main implementation aspects and their performance. Our survey allows us to identify the major issues and shortcomings of works in this research area. We also provide guidelines to improve the use of CNNs in operational contexts as well as some directions for future research.