Machine learning techniques for non-destructive estimation of plum fruit weight

Plum fruit fresh weight (FW) estimation is crucial for various agricultural practices, including yield prediction, quality control, and market pricing. Traditional methods for estimating fruit weight are often destructive, time-consuming, and labor-intensive. In this study, we addressed the problem of predicting plum FW using artificial intelligence (AI) methods based on fruit dimensions. We aimed to evaluate various machine learning (ML) techniques for this purpose. Images of fruit samples were captured using a smartphone camera, processed to extract binary images, and used to calculate dimensions. We tested several ML methods, including Support Vector Regression (SVR), Multivariate Linear Regression (MLR), Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), and Decision Tree (DT). The SVR model with a Pearson-VII kernel (PUK) function and penalty value (c) of 0.1 was the most accurate, achieving an R² of 0.9369 and root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.4850 (gr) during training, and 0.9267 and 0.4863 (gr) during testing. This method is important for researchers and practitioners seeking efficient, quick, and non-destructive ways to estimate fruit weight. Future research can build on these findings by applying the model to other fruit types and conditions.