Development and Performance of the Smart Spray Pest Response System

This study developed and evaluated the Smart Spray Pest Response System (SSPRS), a solar-powered, automated pest control device designed for smallholder rice farms. The system integrates an ESP32-CAM for real-time image capture and pest detection process, and a relay-controlled centrifugal pump that activates spraying only when pest presence reaches a predefined confidence threshold. An experimental design was employed to compare SSPRS with conventional pest control methods in Barangay Mantalongon, Sagbayan, Bohol. System performance was assessed based on technical reliability and pest mortality. Results indicated that SSPRS achieved a mean mortality of 18.5 golden apple snails (32%), compared to 19.5 snails (39%) in the control group, with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.86). Although SSPRS did not outperform conventional methods in mortality rate, it demonstrated stable power management, reliable logic flow, and precise, event-driven spraying. Variations in environmental conditions, pest density, and detection accuracy likely influenced system performance. Future research should enhance image recognition accuracy, optimize spray timing, and conduct longer field trials to improve effectiveness and scalability.

Automated Spraying System, Rice Pest Management, Sustainable Farming

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