Abstract
In modern precision agriculture, early and accurate identification of crop diseases is crucial for reducing yield loss and minimizing pesticide overuse. This study proposes an IoT-enabled framework that integrates convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with image processing techniques for automated classification and quantification of diseases in rice and potato crops. A custom-curated dataset was developed, comprising over 1,800 images acquired through smartphone cameras and foldscope devices under natural lighting conditions. The proposed CNN model achieved a classification accuracy of over 95%, with a disease quantification accuracy of 90.5%, calculated using pixel-level segmentation of infected regions. Experimental results revealed infection percentages ranging from 0.68% in early-stage cases to 13.98% in severely affected samples, enabling precise disease severity analysis. The framework includes a MATLAB-based graphical user interface (GUI) for real-time visualization of classification results and severity scores. Training convergence was demonstrated with a mini-batch loss reduction from 1.0879 to 0.0094 over 200 iterations, and classification confidence scores exceeding 90% for most disease categories. In addition to software implementation, the model was synthesized for hardware deployment using FPGA, demonstrating less than 5% LUT and 1% register usage for 512 × 512 images, ensuring resource-efficient performance in IoT environments. This work introduces a scalable, field-deployable tool for crop health monitoring, with potential to enhance sustainable farming practices through timely disease management.