AI Developed to Detect Diseases and Predict Chili Pepper Crop Quality

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are being developed to help improve agricultural productivity in Indonesia. It includes through the early detection of plant diseases and the prediction of chili pepper crop quality.

Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency’s (BRIN) Center for Intelligent Mechatronics Research, Yanuandri Putrasari, has said agriculture plays an important role in supporting national food security and food sovereignty.

According to him, the application of AI in agriculture is expected to address various productivity challenges that the sector continues to face.

“Agriculture is a key pillar supporting food security,” Yanuandri said at a seminar titled “The Role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) in Smart Farming” on Monday, August 24, 2026.

He added that agriculture is one of the key sectors supporting food sovereignty under the government’s eight development clusters. Therefore, the use of technology is considered important to further develop the potential of the agricultural sector.

“We hope the application of Artificial Intelligence in agriculture can address these challenges. At present, there are still many opportunities in our agricultural sector that can be developed to address productivity issues,” he said.

Research Professor in Smart Instrumentation at Telkom University, Prof. Dr. Hanif Fakhrurroja, said one of the AI and IoT applications being developed is designed to help chili pepper farmers detect diseases at an early stage and predict crop quality before harvest. According to Fakhrurroja, the development was prompted by gaps in farmers’ digital literacy and technological competencies.

“We are not only monitoring crops, but also building a system that can understand conditions, predict yields, and help farmers make decisions by explaining the conditions,” he said.

In research on chili pepper plants, the system is being developed to monitor conditions ranging from the root environment to the upper parts of the plants. The technologies include drip fertigation combined with nanobubbles, as well as cameras and AI systems to monitor plant conditions and detect early signs of disease.

AI is also being used to predict potential fruit quality before harvest. Plant growth data are collected to estimate whether crops have the potential to produce Grade A, B, or C chili peppers, giving farmers time to intervene through water, nutrient, and cultivation management.

“AI does not only predict crop quality, but also provides an opportunity to improve it,” Fakhrurroja said.

The system is being developed by integrating IoT sensors, cameras, web and mobile applications, and an AI-based recommendation system. The integration is expected to help translate plant condition data into information and recommendations that are easier for farmers to use, supporting increased agricultural productivity.