Fuzzy-logic-based decision support system for scheduling tillage operations

• Published in: Engineering applications of artificial intelligence 1997, Vol.10 (5), p.463-472
• Main Authors: Thangavadivelu, Suri, Colvin, Tom S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Decision support systems; fuzzy logic; scheduling; tillage management
• ISSN: 0952-1976; 1873-6769
• DOI: 10.1016/S0952-1976(97)00023-7

A fuzzy-logic-based decision support system was developed to assist farmers in scheduling tillage operations, which are carried out to prepare fields prior to planting and are therefore critical to crop growth and production. The scheduling of tillage operations can be challenging in areas where the window of operation is narrow, and factors such as soil-water content, urgency, field sizes, available time and importance of operation must be considered. A multi-objective decision-making procedure suggested by Yager was modified to accommodate objectives of unequal importance. This modified scheme allows the satisfaction of each objective to be expressed by a distinct linguistic term set, each element of which may be mapped to a global set. The best alternative is then chosen by comparing the levels of satisfaction associated with each alternative. This modified multi-objective decision-making procedure is the basis of the fuzzy-logic-based decision support system, FLoDSS, described in this research paper. FLoDSS was programmed in the C computer language to assist farmers in scheduling tillage operations on a daily basis. Unlike most conventional programs and expert systems, FLoDSS accepts and derives inferences from fuzzy input data. The program was evaluated for a Central Iowa location, using daily weather forecast data and the daily decisions made by two expert farm managers.