Expert System for Hydroponic Vegetable Cultivation Using Forward and Backward Chaining Inference Technique

Hydroponics systems require tremendous attention both in nutrition, plant growth, the risk of pest and disease attacks. Thus, this hydroponic farming system requires high experience and expertise that is the main obstacle for business actors who want to start a vegetable cultivation business with a hydroponic system, especially for business actors who do not have a background in agriculture. The hydroponic cultivation expert system in this study aims to detect plant diseases and pests and provide solutions to these diseases. In addition, this expert system application also aims to monitor plant needs, so this application can help farmers grow up hydroponic vegetable cultivation businesses. The combination of the forward and backward chaining methods is applied to detect plant diseases and pests. Whereas the forward chaining method use to monitor plant needs. The combination of the forward and backward chaining methods in identifying plant diseases and pests can make it easier for users to determine the suffered by plants and provide information about these diseases. The application of the forward chaining method in monitoring plant needs can identify the level of fulfilment of entails of each component of plant needs according to the type of plant and the day after planting. The application of this hydroponic expert system can overcome the limited number of hydroponic experts in helping farmers identify plant diseases and pests and monitor plant needs.