sustainability
Article
Sustainable Smart Agriculture Farming for Cotton Crop: A
Fuzzy Logic Rule Based Methodology
Li Bin 1 , Muhammad Shahzad 2 , Hira Khan 2 , Muhammad Mehran Bashir 2, * , Arif Ullah 3
and Muhammad Siddique 4
Citation: Bin, L.; Shahzad, M.; Khan,
H.; Bashir, M.M.; Ullah, A.; Siddique,
M. Sustainable Smart Agriculture
Farming for Cotton Crop: A Fuzzy
Logic Rule Based Methodology.
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874.
https://doi.org/10.3390/
su151813874
Academic Editor: Cristina Raluca
Gh. Popescu
Received: 23 August 2023
Revised: 10 September 2023
Accepted: 14 September 2023
Published: 18 September 2023
Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.
Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
This article is an open access article
distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) license (https://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/
4.0/).
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813874
1 School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206, China;
direcfish163@gmail.com
2 Department of Electrical Engineering, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Engineering and Technology,
Multan 66000, Pakistan; dr.shehzad@mnsuet.edu.pk (M.S.); engrhirakhan@gmail.com (H.K.)
3 Department of Computer Engineering, College of IT Convergence, Chosun University,
Gwangju 61452, Republic of Korea; arifullah@chosun.ac.kr
4 Department of Energy System Engineering, National Fertilizer Corporation, Institute of Engineering &
Technology, Multan 66000, Pakistan; msbmultan@gmail.com
* Correspondence: dr.mehran@mnsuet.edu.pk
Abstract: Sustainable agriculture is a pivotal driver of a nation’s economic growth, especially consid-
ering the challenge of providing food for the world’s expanding population. Agriculture remains a
cornerstone of many nations’ economies, so the need for intelligent, sustainable farming practices has
never been greater. Agricultural industries worldwide require sophisticated systems that empower
farmers to manage their crops efficiently, reduce water wastage, and optimize yield quality. Yearly,
substantial crop losses occur due to unpredictable environmental changes, with improper irrigation
practices being a leading cause. In this paper, we introduce an innovative irrigation time control
system for smart farming. This system leverages fuzzy logic to regulate the timing of irrigation in
cotton crop fields, effectively curbing water wastage while ensuring that crops receive neither too little
nor too much water. Additionally, our system addresses a common agricultural challenge: whitefly
infestations. Users can adjust climatic parameters, such as temperature and humidity, through our
system, which minimizes both whitefly populations and water consumption. We have developed a
portable measurement technology that includes air humidity sensors, temperature sensors, and rain
sensors. These sensors interface with an Arduino platform, allowing real-time climate data collec-
tion. This collected climate data is then sent to the fuzzy logic control system, which dynamically
adjusts irrigation timing in response to changing environmental conditions. Our system incorporates
an algorithm that generates highly effective (IF-THEN) fuzzy logic rules, significantly improving
irrigation efficiency by reducing overall irrigation duration. By automating the irrigation process and
precisely delivering the right amount of water, our system eliminates the need for human intervention,
rendering the agricultural system more dependable in achieving successful crop yields. Water supply
commences when the environmental conditions reach specific thresholds and halts when the requisite
climate conditions are met, maintaining an optimal environment for crop growth.
Keywords: irrigation; fuzzy logic; whitefly pest; smart agriculture; control methodology
1. Introduction
Numerous wireless components and devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) are inte-
grated and are capable of communicating, sensing, and interconnecting with external and
internal states of the embedded system [1]. A number of notable research studies have
highlighted the use cases of IoT in advancing smart farming methods and solutions in
agricultural areas. Examining numerous complications and challenges in farming, IoT is
a great revolution in the agriculture sector [2]. To fulfill the compulsory food needs in all
civilizations worldwide, agriculture has become a vast topic of interest in research-based
https://www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 2 of 18

development in the modern era. Over the decades, environmental changes have had a
direct effect on agriculture, which includes scarcity of water, climate changes, soil condition
changes, etc. Due to this dependency of agriculture on climate conditions, more techno-
logical advancement is needed to control and provide suitable conditions for effective
farming [3].
Cotton is a commonly grown product in South Asia because of its suitable environmen-
tal and topographic features. However, due to changes in the atmosphere, many insects
and pests damage the crops and hence reduce production. The pest that widely attack
cotton crops include whitefly. The perfect watering of crops, avoiding excessive or too
little watering, can prevent not only crop damage but also help in avoiding pests attack [4].
In the case of excessive rainfall and in dry seasons, automatic irrigation makes it easy to
control these changes for good yield to save water and enable smart agriculture farming
by providing smart desired specifications of irrigation systems for standard crop growth.
Various control methodologies are developed for smart farming, including fuzzy logic.
Fuzzy logic is one of the decision-making systems that works in a manner similar to human
control and utilizes tools from fuzzy set theory in conjunction with human knowledge to
obtain optimal desired results. The Membership Function (MF) is fundamental to fuzzy
logic systems because it indicates the degree to which an element belongs to a fuzzy set
based on user inputs in the form of linguistic variables. The Fuzzy Logic Toolbox is used to
define this. These functions model uncertainty and imprecision and are used to compute
membership degrees for given inputs. The variables are formulated to form a fuzzy set
and connected with the precondition’s fuzzy logic rules defined by the user to obtain the
desired output in a Fuzzy Inference System (FIS), which is a mathematical model that
uses fuzzy logic to convert incoming data through established rules and MF for distinct
fuzzy sets [5,6]. Fuzzy logic can be best used to design a controller for normal and required
irrigation. Fuzzy logic provides an easy way to reach the conclusion of a system having
vague and ambiguous installation details. The main aim of this work is to define the
best rules for the implementation of a fuzzy control system that can optimally control the
irrigation time by considering the input variables while helping the farmers to minimize
electricity consumption, save water, and reduce pest growth rates.
This study employs the fuzzy cognitive mapping method of soft computing in order
to analyze the process of yield prediction in the cotton crop-producing industry. The first
experiment to add fuzzy logic techniques into the process of developing yield models for
precision farming was discussed and a fuzzy logic-based irrigation control system was
created for agricultural production as part of the research project [7]. The purpose of this
article is to provide a method that makes use of the knowledge and experience of experts
in order to produce an estimation of agricultural output. As a result, it can help farmers
obtain insights about the ways in which yield fluctuates. As the foundation for a decision
support system for precision agriculture, this work employs a fuzzy cognitive map-based
approach for predicting yield in cotton crop production. This study explored the use of
fuzzy cognitive maps in cotton crop yield prediction in order to investigate yield and yield
variability [8,9].
Conventional cotton crop management strategies cannot accurately estimate crop pro-
duction. Current decision-making technologies lack expert knowledge, resulting in inferior
outcomes [9]. Conventional irrigation methods waste water. Existing technologies might
be costly to implement and maintain, preventing small farmers from using them [10]. How-
ever, fuzzy rule-based techniques can improve decision-making by being more accurate
and efficient. Fuzzy logic systems may include expert knowledge and accurately anticipate
crop production, improving cotton crop management decisions. Fuzzy logic-based irriga-
tion control methods conserve water. Fuzzy logic temperature and humidity monitoring
systems are cost-effective and fast. Thus, fuzzy rule-based cotton crop management can be
more efficient and cost-effective [7,9].
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 3 of 18

2. Related Work and Research Methods

Enhancing crop productivity is essential in agriculture to meet the rapidly rising
demand for food due to population growth. There is an urgent need to switch from manual
to automated methods in order to increase crop productivity [11]. In agricultural fields,
received soil moisture and temperature data affect the crop’s quality [12]. A consider-
able amount of water is mandatory to fulfill the requirements of conventional irrigation.
Hence, efficient utilization of water leads to increased agriculture yields [13]. Furthermore,
prominent attention of farmers is needed in agriculture to ensure that the crops receive
the required amount of water, as shortage or excessive amount of water can damage the
crop [14]. To solve the problem of unusual water consumption, “automation in irrigation”
is one of the demanding technologies to improve agriculture [15].
Numerous studies have been performed to design and improve different methodolo-
gies for smart irrigation. The authors in [16] implemented the drip irrigation system by
controlling it using mobile networks. Controlled valve are used to irrigate crops using the
fuzzy logic technique, where the authors analyze the demand for water to avoid overcon-
sumption and save water. The author in [17] proposed a bespoke-based smart irrigation
system, where low-cost moisture sensors are applied, which works on XBee-based commu-
nication technology to manage water supply in areas with water deficiencies. Moreover,
the author analyzed that the system is automated by incorporating the moisture sensors in
the drip irrigation system. In [18], the authors present a framework for efficient utilization
of water in the smart irrigation system, where the dampness and water rate are detected
and controlled, respectively, in the crops. Similarly, the author in [19] proposed a smart,
automated irrigation system with disease detection capability in crops, where the moisture
sensors are deployed to sense humidity and temperature, and optical sensors are used
for pest detection. The soil study in [20] implies that the biodegradation of antibiotics in
agricultural soil can be affected by factors such as the type of biochar used and the antibiotic
class used. Strategies for controlling antibiotic contamination in farming settings can be
influenced by knowledge of these connections. The research in [21] analyzes the impact of
canopy and understory nitrogen addition strategies on fine root biomass and shape in the
soil of temperate deciduous forests.
The authors in [22] present an automated control irrigation system where low-cost
Arduino controllers operate the motor and improve crop yield in an area with less water.
The authors in [23] focus on an optimal irrigation system with a rainfall prediction algorithm
to find a favorable area for specific crop growth and introduce a method to control water.
In [24], the authors propose a smart irrigation system where Android phones and a wireless
sensor network are deployed for monitoring and controlling purposes. Moreover, the
author analyzed human interaction by incorporating the Zegbee communication module.
In [25], a smart irrigation system using a fuzzy logic controller is implemented, where
the system contains the Mamdani fuzzy controller technique to control water flow for
maintaining the irrigation system at proper time and frequency. Similarly, in [26], the
author presented a design of a smart irrigation system based on fuzzy logic with the
ability to locate the availability of water resources and electricity provided to the pump.
In [27], the author aims to present a smart irrigation system using a Raspberry Pi module,
where real-time input data of moisture variations and temperature is analyzed to control
the system. The author in [28] introduces a fuzzy logic and wireless sensor network-
based smart irrigation decision support system, where the system analyzes environmental
parameters through sensors, and fuzzy logic rules are applied to control the water flow.
The authors in [29] elaborate on irrigation issues by simulating the fuzzy logic controller
in MATLAB and studying symbolic logic to design an optimal system using artificial
intelligence, computer science, and mathematical logic to solve agricultural problems. The
authors in [30] review the applications of fuzzy logic in smart agriculture and analyze
different aspects of fuzzy logic in various agriculture technologies to improve crop yield.
Moreover, in [31], the author implements a fuzzy-based irrigation control system by using
LabVIEW and GPRS communication module with the ability to represent the solution for
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 4 of 18

scheduling irrigation by turning OFF and ON the valve. The authors in [32] present an
automatic cloud-based irrigation system with microcontroller ESP32-Lora and SIGFOX
network to design a node network and internet connection and attempt to obtain stability
in the communication network to improve irrigation. In [33], authors present a fuzzy logic
algorithm for smart irrigation with comparison of two methods (Mamdani and Sugeno)
for open and closed fuzzy logic control system in MATLAB, where more number of input
variables are used to extract the data which create complexity. Similarly, the authors in [34]
implement a fuzzy logic control system for irrigation, controlling the pump speed, an IoT
network is deployed, and the authors claim an improvement in irrigation with a reduced
workforce. Authors in [35] present an irrigation system on chili plant, where a fuzzy logic
control system is connected with an IoT system for controlling and monitoring management.
The authors analyzed the system with two input and three output variables to test the
growth rate under a controlled environment. In [36], authors presented a wireless data
logging application in Qatar to enhance the irrigation system based on a feedback fuzzy
logic controller, where the system contained Xbee–GPRS for monitoring purposes and as
a database platform. Moreover, the authors analyze this system can be easily deployed
with drip irrigation to manage watering time in crops. Similarly, in [37], a smart irrigation
system is installed with a global system for mobile communication (GSM), where the
system provides information in messages about the environmental condition and motor
working state related to the power supply. Furthermore, a fuzzy logic controller is utilized
for input and output control. In [38], the authors installed a Mamdani control system based
on smart irrigation with an open-loop fuzzy control system. In addition, the simulation of
fuzzy logic is performed in MATLAB, v. R2023a.
In order to automatically track environmental data and water plants, the authors of
the study [39] propose building a smart agricultural monitoring system with the help of
an ESP32 microcontroller, sensors, and a water pump actuator, all underpinned by fuzzy
logic. Another study considers soil type, geographic location, and climate variables such
as annual average temperature and precipitation in the analysis. Productive crops for
cultivation are suggested using a method that takes into account location-specific factors.
Experiments show that the proposed approach is superior to state-of-the-art alternatives
in terms of both accuracy and efficiency [40]. Comparative research was carried out to
examine the role of recommendation systems in modern agricultural practices. Farmers
should routinely switch up the variety of pesticides and water sources they employ. This
strategy can help farmers increase their yields of high-quality crops. Because of this, they
are able to raise their standard of living and give back even more to the community [41].
The study in [42] showed that fuzzy goal logic can be deployed to form a decision support
system to help farmers plan apple cultivation. This research sought to demonstrate fuzzy
goal programming’s practicality.
Based on the related work, the purpose of this research is to strive to make the agricul-
ture system more efficient. Despite this, other significant factors, specifically demanding
crops, require additional effort in smart farming practices. Cotton crop is a widely grown
product affected by various pests, including highly attacked pest whiteflies due to unfa-
vorable environmental conditions. The proposed research demonstrates that intelligent
irrigation systems require additional work to achieve optimal climatic conditions for cotton
crops while conserving water and electricity. The following solution is a clear strive to
achieve smart agriculture farming with less complexity compared to alternative approaches.

2.1. Existing Methodologies for Field Irrigation

The primary objective of smart agriculture farming is to enhance crop yields at mini-
mum cost and environmental damage. The crop yield is typically influenced by pests and
diseases—furthermore, inadequate irrigation leads to diminished yields and heightened
loss of water resources. Researchers have explored many methodologies for fighting against
pests, disease, and optimal irrigation systems.
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 5 of 18

Methodologies for Field Irrigation

In the modern era, advanced irrigation system technologies such as surface irrigation,
localized irrigation, and other environmentally focused irrigation methods are essential
to optimize crop production. Crop growth needs a suitable combination of temperature,
humidity, and optimal soil moisture level. Selecting a satisfactory irrigation technique
can improve the crop yield. The contemporary irrigation techniques for conventional
farming are as follows. (1) Surface irrigation system: the widely used irrigation technique
spreading water to the field relies on gravity. Typically referred to as flood irrigation, it
implies the haphazard distribution of water used for cultivation. Level basin irrigation,
border strip basin irrigation, and furrow basin irrigation fall under the category of surface
irrigation [43]. (2) Level basin irrigation is utilized for small-scale farming, where crops
are grown at close intervals. Water circulates from end to end of the farm and runs off
to the pond to ensure efficient use of water [44]. (3) Border strip basin irrigation is an
expansion of level basin irrigation, where the land on the farm is divided into strips with
borders. The most complicated irrigation method of surface irrigation is suitable for crops
such as barley and wheat [45]. (4) Furrow basin irrigation minimized water consumption.
Furrow irrigation cultivates the crops instead of submerging the whole farm with water.
Vegetables and plants that are sensitive to ponded water consider it ideal [46]. (5) Micro
irrigation system: The frequently utilized methods involved in micro irrigation systems
are drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, and channel irrigation [47]. Drip irrigation, also
called trickle irrigation, is considered the easiest and optimal approach for watering. Water
is directly delivered to the root of crops at the proper time and in the required amount.
Water is transported everywhere through pipes called drip lines. Pipes contain small units
to drip water. Water is released in the form of drops, which results in an equal amount of
water provided to every plant’s root in the field. Drip irrigation is an approach working
on low pressure. It provides 100% land utilization, with great stability, crop protection,
and efficient utilization of water at lower risk [48]. Drip irrigation distributes water in
smaller doses, ensuring proper plant growth to produce maximum yield. The scarcity of
water in many regions clearly indicates the requirement to find ways to efficiently utilize
limited resources and enhance agricultural productivity [49]. Drip irrigation is an efficient
solution to fulfill the requirements and make things easy for the farmers. All except that
this method of irrigation demands high installation cost [50]. Sprinkler irrigation, having
high demand in cultivated areas, suffers from water shortage. Water is distributed through
sprinklers that imitate natural rainfall, preventing water wastage. Fast wind condition
often demands high-cost operation with poor working efficiency [51]. Channel irrigation
technique is beneficial for large areas of cultivation, which requires a considerable quantity
of water. This technique is cheaper and improves the quality and growth of crops. On the
other hand, this technique results in excessive water consumption [52]. A comparison of
different techniques integrated with fuzzy logic is presented in Table 1.

2.2. Contribution and Paper Organization

This research provides a study of the performance of cotton crop production by utiliz-
ing a fuzzy logic control system with a specific focus on irrigation time. We are proposing a
novel method that aims to optimize irrigation time in order to preserve environmental con-
ditions and reduce the population of the pest species “whitefly” on cotton crops. The key
contribution of this paper is to design effective knowledge-based IF-THEN rules for smart
irrigation systems using fuzzy logic and utilizing real-time data of soil temperature and
humidity of cotton crop fields. Rules are incorporated to make these climatic parameters
suitable for avoiding pest “whitefly” with good irrigation time. IF-THEN-based rules com-
binations are established using human expertise and comparing these rules in MATLAB.
The results demonstrate that by using appropriate rules, irrigation time can be improved
for the purpose of saving water consumption and electricity. Suitable soil conditions such
as humidity and temperature help diagnose problems earlier, enabling necessary action to
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 6 of 18

reduce crop failure. Inform the system promptly about the environmental circumstances
that can minimize crop failure.
The rest of the paper is organized as follows. Section 2 introduces related work.
Section 3 deals with fuzzy logic control for field irrigation. MATLAB implementations
are present in Section 4, and results and discussion are presented in Section 5. Finally, the
paper is concluded in Section 6.

Table 1. Comparative analysis with other studies.

Research
Methodology Control Parameters/Limitations
Study
[53] Fuzzy logic integrated with Mamdani control system Tuning of rules is required each time
Expert decisions rely on heuristic criteria and must
[54] Irrigation based on fuzzy logic and data monitoring
adjust to changes in soil, plant, and weather dynamics
Weather, plant and soil parameters need to be tuned
[38] Open-loop fuzzy logic with Mamdani control system
each time
[55] Fuzzy logic control with wireless sensor network Water amount, Energy consumption
Hybrid fuzzy logic integrated with particle
[56] Pump speed, water volume control
swarm optimization
[57] Fuzzy logic and IoT High water and labor demands of crops
Present
Fuzzy logic and IF-THEN Rules Irrigation time and pest control
Study

3. Fuzzy Logic Control for Field Irrigation

The proposed methodology is based on determining the requirement for irrigation
based on humidity and temperature levels in the environment. Moreover, it analyzes the
chances of pest incursions, especially “Whitefly,” in cotton plantations due to environmental
influences. Smart analysis of environmental parameters using fuzzy logic helps create
an intelligent system to prevent pests and execute efficient irrigation. The fuzzy logic
controller structure is comprised of five steps.
In Figure 1, the first step identifies the input and output variables to determine the
descriptor for both. In the second step, the MF for each input and output variable needs
to be defined. In the third step to operate, reserve, and sort the data, man-made rules are
incorporated. A fuzzy logic system’s basic structure and learning/adaptive components
are designed. The fuzzified output performs as a fuzzy logic controller to command when
it feeds into the crop field.
Figure 2 demonstrates the fuzzy system to find irrigation time through a fuzzy logic
decision-making system. The defined input variables are humidity temperature, and
the output variable is irrigation time. Input variables are subdivided into MF. After
fuzzification is finished, the defuzzification process is employed to produce the output for
creating irrigation status. Figure 3 represent the triangular MF of temperature. Linguistic
values used for temperature are low, medium, and high.
Equations of triangular MFs of temperature are derived by using line equations.

T−x
uL (x) = (1)
T
(
x
u M (x) = T , 0 ≤ T, (2)
2T − x
T , T ≤ 2T,

x−T
u H (x) = (3)
T
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 7 of 18

Figure 1. Prototype Smart Agriculture Farming System.

Figure 2. Fuzzy inference system (FIS).

Figure 4 presents the MF of humidity having linguistic variables dry, normal, and
moist. The graph shows that the humidity of the environment is dry from the range
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 8 of 18

0 < x < T, normal T < x < 2T, and medium from the range of 3T/2 < x < 2T. Equations of
MFs of humidity are derived from the above method using a line equation.

3 T2 − x
uD (x) = 1
(4)
2T

 x−T , 0 ≤ T,
1
u N (x) = 2T (5)
 2T − x , T ≤ 2T,
2T

Figure 3. Membership function of temperature.

Here, we assume the humidity and temperature values of the environment are ‘h1 ’ and
‘t1 ’, respectively. In Figure 3 the respective temperature ‘t1 ’ cut the two points of lines which
represent high and medium lines of temperature. Therefore, both equations at respective
temperatures ‘t1’ give the equation.

t1 − T
u H (x) = (6)
T
In Figure 4 respective ‘h1 ’ value touches the two points of lines representing normal
and moist environment. The equations derived from it are given below.

h1 − T
u N (x) = 1
(7)
2T

h1 − 3 T2
u M (x) = 1
(8)
2T
These Equations (6)–(8) lead to four rules that need to be evaluated.
Rule (1). Humidity is normal; Temperature is medium.
Rule (2). Humidity is normal; Temperature is high.
Rule (3). Humidity is moist; Temperature is medium.
Rule (4). Humidity is moist; Temperature is high.
From these rules, the minimum value of each can be derived by the respective value
of temperature ‘t1 ’ and humidity ‘h1 ’. The last step of defuzzification helps to exclude the
maximum value from the derived minimum values. This maximum value corresponds to
any rule given above. Each rule contains two cases that execute two values at the respective
value of ‘t1 ’ and ‘h1 ’. The average of both values gave the required irrigation time suitable
for the environment.

Fuzzy Logic Technique for the Cotton Crop

Fuzzy logic, neural networks, and knowledge-based techniques can be used to create
an expert system. Weather-based forecasting can predict the probability of diseases based
on the current state of the atmosphere in a specific location.
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 9 of 18

Figure 4. Membership function of humidity.

Table 2 represents a defined fuzzy rule base applying on the fuzzy inference system
of the cotton crop field. A disease occurs when a certain weather condition happens at a
specific range of temperature and humidity. Analyzing parameters of temperature and
humidity are Very small (VS), Small (S), Medium (M), Large (L), and Very large (VL).
Table 3 illustrates a few other pests’ production in cotton crops at specific temperature and
humidity rate.
The FIS (Fuzzy Inference System) produces linguistic variables as a result of its work.
In order to evaluate the theories, the proposed study will look at one disease. Whitefly
is a frequent pest in the cotton crop, as is the red cotton bug spot. FIS is framed using
information gathered from high-risk environments. The chance of illnesses appearing in
linguistic variables is a system output that serves as a decision-making tool for farmers.
The linguistic output provides farmers an early warning regarding the risk of the disease
occurring. Farmers will be able to act appropriately and quickly. This will not only cut
down on pesticide use but will also improve crop protection. The importance of establishing
an expert system cannot be overstated. Three conceptual components make up the basic
framework of a FIS. In fuzzy modeling, rules known as antecedents or premises describe
the output limitations, also known as repercussions, and provide the related outcome for
a fuzzy region of the input space. Figure 5 and Figure 6 is the implementation of fuzzy
logic at the soil humidity and temperature of the cotton crop, respectively. Each considered
input has five MFs, as shown in the below equations.

Table 2. Fuzzy logic rules.

Humidity
Very Dry Dry Medium Moist Very Moist
VS VS L M S VS
S M M L S S
Temperature M L L L VS VS
L VS VS M S VS
VL M S L S S

Table 3. Pest production temperature and humidity rate.

Sr.No Name of Pest Temperature Humidity

1 Whitefly 30–35 ◦ C 60%
2 Thrips 35–40 ◦ C 70%
3 Jassid 24–40 ◦ C 65%
4 Red cotton bug 35–40 ◦ C 55%
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 10 of 18

Figure 5. Fuzzy logic application on the soil humidity of cotton crop.

25 − X
u(vl ) = (9)
25
X
u(l ) = (10)
25
50 − X
u(l ) = (11)
25
X − 25
u(m) = (12)
25
75 − X
u(m) = (13)
25
X − 50
u(s) = (14)
25

X − 100
u(s) = (15)
25
X − 75
u(vs) = (16)
75

Figure 6. Fuzzy logic application on soil temperature for cotton crop.

15 − X
u(vs) = (17)
15
X
u(s) = (18)
15
30 − X
u(s) = (19)
15

X − 15
u(m) = (20)
15
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 11 of 18

30 − X
u(m) = (21)
15
X − 30
u(l ) = (22)
15
X − 60
u(l ) = (23)
15

X − 45
u(vl ) = (24)
15

4. MATLAB Implementaion
The fuzzy logic is applied to the system involving cotton crops and demonstrates the
possibility of whitefly attack as a result of different environmental factors such as humidity
and temperature. Two factors, temperature and humidity, have a major influence on pest
growth. The fuzzy logic-based methodology focuses on the pest whitefly in MATLAB
and obtained results with variances in temperature and humidity. The temperature range
is 0–60 ◦ C, and the humidity range is from 0–100%. The IF-THEN conditions act as a
framework for the fuzzy rules of temperature and humidity, having parameters large,
small, medium, etc. Defuzzification shows results of efficient irrigation time for maintaining
temperature and humidity to reduce whitefly growth. In this study, two input variables are
considered with five linguistic variables or MF as represented by formulas. The number
of fuzzy logic rules is calculated according to the number of every input variable’s MFs.
Hence, two input parameters contain five MFs. Therefore, the total number of rules will be
52 = 25, as shown in Table 4. The fuzzy rules and linguistic variables are assumed by the
researchers according to the fuzzy inference concept.
Figure 7 demonstrates the humidity range between 0–100% with triangular type of
MF. The analyzed parameters of humidity are Very dry, Dry, Medium, Moist, and Very
moist. The threshold of each MF of humidity is elaborated in Table 3. Threshold of each
MF of temperature is elaborated in Tables 5 and 6 representing each input and its relevant
threshold, such as when the temperature will be very low, low, medium, high, and very
high or how the humidity will change from very dry to very moist.
Figure 8 highlighted the temperature range between 0–60 ◦ C with triangular MF.
Analyzing parameters of temperature are Very small, small, Medium, Large, and Very large.
Figure 9 indicates the window of knowledge base fuzzy rules settings to fulfill the
condition for MFs for the fuzzy inference system. Fuzzy rules are set in the form of IF-THEN
conditions of humidity and temperature. MATLAB software is utilized to implement these
rules using the Mamdani method. Figure 10 shows the output status of irrigation with
triangular MFs. Analyzing parameters of irrigation are Very small, Small, Medium, Large,
and Very large. The threshold of each MF of irrigation is given in Table 7.

Figure 7. Membership function of input variable “Humidity”.

Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 12 of 18

Table 4. Fuzzy rule table with various categories of the input and output parameters.

Rules Temperature Humidity Irrigation Time

1 Very small Very dry Very small
2 Small Dry Medium
3 Medium Medium Large
4 Large Moist Small
5 Very large Very Moist Small
6 Very small Dry Large
7 Very small Medium Medium
8 Very small Moist Small
9 Very small Very Moist Very small
10 Small Very Dry Medium
11 Small Medium Large
12 Small Moist Small
13 Small Very Moist Small
14 Medium Very Dry Large
15 Medium Dry Large
16 Medium Moist Very small
17 Medium Very Moist Very small
18 Large Very Dry Very small
19 Large Dry Very small
20 Large Medium Medium
21 Large Very moist Very small
22 Very large Very dry Medium
23 Very large Dry Small
24 Very large Medium Large
25 Very large Moist Small

Table 5. Description of input variable of humidity in MATLAB.

Sr No Humidity Threshold
1 Very Dry [0 25]
2 Dry [0 25 50]
3 Medium [25 50 75]
4 Moist [50 75 100]
5 Very Moist [75 100]

Table 6. Description of input variable of temperature in MATLAB.

Sr No Temperature Threshold
1 Very Low [0 15]
2 Low [0 15 30]
3 Medium [25 30 45]
4 High [30 45 60]
5 Very High [45 60]
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 13 of 18

Figure 8. Membership function of input variable “Temperature”.

Figure 9. Window for knowledge-based rules setting.

Figure 10. Output membership function of irrigation time.

Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 14 of 18

Table 7. Description of output variable irrigation time in MATLAB.

Sr No Irrigation Time Threshold

1 Very Small [0 10]
2 Small [0 10 25]
3 Medium [10 25 40]
4 Large [25 40 60]
5 Very Large [40 60 80]

5. Results and Discussion

Fuzzy logic is considered a good intelligent system to achieve an efficient smart
irrigation system. The excellent decision-making process of defining fuzzy rules help to
obtain the required effective results.
In MATLAB, a set of crisp input values have been assigned to the fuzzy control system
using defined fuzzy rules. Figure 11 illustrates the applying the suitable input values
of temperature and humidity are 33 and 60, respectively. Considering these values, the
crisp output of fuzzy logic for irrigation is 18.3. Figure 12 shows the same fuzzy control
system using the second fuzzy rule setting. The applied input values of temperature and
humidity are 33 and 60, respectively. Utilizing these identical values, the output of fuzzy
logic for irrigation is 21.3. The MATLAB window in Figure 13 demonstrates a set of crisp
input values that have been assigned to the fuzzy control system using the third fuzzy rule
settings. The applied input values of temperature and humidity are the same: 33 and 60,
respectively. Using the same given values, the crisp output of fuzzy logic for irrigation
is 32.1.

Figure 11. Fuzzy logic rule-based threshold values with best crisp inputs.

Figure 12. Fuzzy logic rule-based threshold values with medium crisp inputs.
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 15 of 18

Figure 13. Fuzzy logic rule-based threshold values with worst crisp inputs.

Discussion
The intention of this proposed work is to improve effectiveness of smart irrigation.
In order to maintain irrigation time, temperature and humidity two input parameters are
involved. The system employs various fuzzy logic rules to determine the irrigation time.
In order to control whiteflies, the proposed system establishes the temperature thresh-
old at 33 and humidity threshold at 60 as depicted in Table 8. In its prime state, the
knowledge base rule proved to be sufficient to set irrigation time at 18.3 (min). In both
average and worst states, the user knowledge base rule was less efficient and decreased the
system’s irrigation time efficiency. This study enhances the efficiency of the fuzzy system
compared to alternative approaches.

Table 8. Comparison of rules results using MATLAB.

I/O Parameters Temperature Humidity Irrigation Time

Best 33 60 18.3
Average 33 60 21.3
Worst 33 60 32.1

6. Conclusions and Future Research Direction

An idea of effective irrigation has been proposed. This research paper aimed to im-
prove the reliability and performance of the smart irrigation system by focusing on input
parameters and MFs. The primary focus of this project was to drive fuzzy logic rules to op-
timize the effectiveness of irrigation systems in agriculture. This study indicated a potential
method by comparing fuzzy rules to improve the efficiency of irrigation systems. Verifica-
tion of experiments may confirm that the suggested smart irrigation system demonstrates
effective benefits such as reduced manual labor costs and minimum utilization of water.
The proposed methodology can be expanded for other pests (thrips, jassid, and red cotton
bug). Future extensions of this work include considering the field test by implementing it
on real practical systems. We are filing the simulation findings of the proposed method
in this work. Furthermore, we are planning to implement the proposed fuzzy rules for
optimal irrigation in a practical setup with hardware in the field that can make real sense.

Author Contributions: Conceptualization, L.B. and H.K.; Methodology, H.K. and M.M.B.; Software,
H.K. and M.S.; Validation, M.S.; Investigation, A.U.; Writing—review & editing, L.B., M.M.B. and
A.U. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding: The project was supported by the Science and Technology projects from State Grid Corpo-
ration of China under project number (5108-202218280A-2-379-XG).
Institutional Review Board Statement: Not applicable.
Sustainability 2023, 15, 13874 16 of 18

Informed Consent Statement: Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.
Acknowledgments: The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Science and Technology
projects from State Grid Corporation of China (5108-202218280A-2-379-XG).
Conflicts of Interest: There is no conflict of interest.

Notations
The following notations are used in this manuscript:

Notation Description
x comprises of elements x of the universe, such that u( x ) = 1
uL (x) Membership function at low state
u M (x) Membership function at medium state
u H (x) Membership function at high state
T Temperature
uD (x) Membership function at dry state
u N (x) Membership function at normal state
u M (x) Membership function at moist state
t1 specific point to find temperature
h1 Specific point to find humidity
u( vl ) Membership function pointing very large state
u( l ) Membership function pointing large state
u( m) Membership function pointing medium state
u( s) Membership function pointing small state
u( vs) Membership function pointing very small state

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