Abstract
In this study, we introduce a groundbreaking deep learning (DL) model designed for the precise task of classifying common diseases in tea leaves, leveraging advanced image analysis techniques. Our model is distinguished by its complex multi-layer architecture, crafted to adeptly handle 256 × 256 pixel images across three color channels (RGB). Beginning with an input layer complemented by a Zero Padding 2D layer to preserve spatial dimensions, our model ensures the retention of crucial geographical information across its depth. The innovative use of a convolutional layer with 64 7 × 7 filters, followed by batch normalization and Rel U activation, allows for the extraction and representation of intricate patterns from the input data. Key to our model's design is the incorporation of residual blocks, facilitating the learning of deeper networks by alleviating the vanishing gradient problem. These blocks combine Conv2D layers, batch normalization, activation layers, and shortcut connections, ensuring robust and efficient feature extraction at various levels of abstraction. The GlobalAveragePooling2D layer towards the model's end succinctly summarizes the extracted features, preparing the model for the final classification stage. This stage features a dropout layer for regularization, a dense layer with 512 units for further pattern learning, and a final dense layer with 8 units and a soft max activation function, producing a probability distribution across different disease classes. Our model's architecture is not just a testament to the sophistication of modern deep learning techniques but also highlights the novelty of applying such complex structures to the challenges of agricultural disease detection. We utilized a datasets consisting of 4000 high-resolution images of tea leaves, encompassing both diseased and healthy states, meticulously captured in the tea gardens of Pathantula, Sylhet, Bangladesh. Employing the Canon EOS 250d Camera ensured detailed representation crucial for training a robust deep learning model for disease detection in tea plants. By achieving remarkable accuracy in identifying diseases in tea leaves, this research not only sets a new benchmark for precision in agricultural diagnostics but also opens avenues for future innovations in the field of precision agriculture.