Proceedings o f 1993 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks

GROWTH OPTIMIZATION OF PLANT BY MEANS OF THE HYBRID SYSTEM

OF GENFIlC ALGORITHM AND NEURAL NJlTWORK
T. Morimoto, T. Takeuchi and Y. Hashimto
Department of Biomechnical Systems, Ehime University, Tarumi, Matsuyama 790, Japan

Abstract. A new control technique for growth optimization of plant in hydroponics is

proposed. In the method, physiological processes of the plant to environmental factors are
firstly identified by using a neural network, and then optimal values of the environmental
factors are determined through the prediction of the identified model by using a genetic
algorithm. Here, we divided the growth process into 4-stage and tried to obtain optimal 4step values of the nutrient concentration of the hydroponic solution which maximize the ratio
of total leaf length to stem diameter ( TLL/SD ), which is a good indicator for plant growth,
using this method. For the identification, multi-input ( nutrient concentration and light
intensity ) and single-output ( TLL/SD ) system was considered. This control technique
permitted to successfully identify the complex system and quickly search the optimal 4-step
concentrations. The optimal values obtained here was effective for the actual growth control.
1. INTRODUCI'ION
Hydroponic culture techniques have several potential advantages, e.g. technical easiness
for the automation of cultivating processes, over soil cultures ( Van Winden, 1988 ). In the
hydroponics, nutrient concentration of the solution is one of the most important control factors
for growth optimization. It is controlled so that the ratio of total leaf length to stem diameter
( TLL/SD ) increases. Higher TLL/SD causes a better reproductive growth, e.g. perfect
flowering and uniform good fruits. However, since the process is defined as an ill-defined
process, the optimal policy of the nutrient concentration is unknown. Hence the control is
almost dependent upon the intuition and experience of a skilled grower.
Neural networks are able to identify the dynamics of complex systems with their own high
learning abilities ( Chen et al., 1990; Morimoto et al., 1991 ). Furthermore genetic algorithm
is one of combinational optimization techniques, by which the optimal value can be globally
obtained ( Grefenstette, 1986; Goldberg, 1989 ). Hence the hybrid control system combining
neural network and genetic algorithm is useful to optimally control such complex systems as
physiological processes of the plant to which conventional mathematical approaches cannot
apply, through the adaptive identification.
The present work is attempt to apply the control technique combining genetic algorithm
and neural network to the control for growth optimization of the plant in hydroponics. Here,
the growth process of the plant was divided into 4 stages. The optimization problem in this
study is to decide optimal 4-step values of the nutrient concentration, NC,-NC,-NC,-NC,,
which maximize the TLL/SD, and then apply it to a real control for growth optimization.

2. MATERLQLS AND METHODS

2.1 Contml system for gmwth optimization of plant
For plant growth optimization, we have to firstly control environmental factors and then
adjust the physiological processes optimally through the efficient environmental control.
Figure 1 shows block diagram of the control system for growth optimization. The current
physiological behaviors of the plant to environmental factors are firstly identified using a
neural network, and then optimal desired values of the environmental factors are selected
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among the numerous responses estimated by the identified model, using a genetic algorithm.
The repetition of these operations leads to an adaptive growth optimization.

2.2 Neural network application for system identification

Neural network is used for the identification of such complex process as TLL/SD to
nutrient concentration ( Chen et al., 1990; Morimoto et al., 1991 ). Here, we supposed two
input valuables ( nutrient concentration, ul(t), and light intensity, u2(t) ) and one output
variable ( TLL/SD, y(t) ) system, and two identification methods were applied to the process.
One is dynamical approach like an ARMA model procedure. In the method, one output y(k)
is estimated by using both two (n+l)th historical input data { U,&), ..., u,(k-n), U,&), ...,
u,(k-n) } and nth historical output data { y(k-1), ..., y(k-n) } ( k=O, 1, .., N-n, N: data
number, n: system parameter number, ). Figure 2 shows structure of three-layer neural
network for this method. The other is the way of obtaining the model from the corresponding
relation between the input and output time series. In the method, all time series of two input
variables { ul-(l), ..., ul(N), q(l),..., u,(N) } are applied to the input layer, and all time series
of output variable { y(l), ..., y(N) } are applied to output layer as teaching signals. The
learning method is error back propagation ( Rumelhart et al., 1986 ). The learning rate and
momentum factor for the neuro-computation were estimated to be 0.02 and 0.8, respectively.

2.3 Genetic algorithm

Genetic algorithm is used for the search of optimal value through the model calculation.
In this study, the optimal value related to only the nutrient concentration is obtained. To use
the genetic algorithm, we must first code the decision variables as finite-length binary strings.
Here, the 4-step nutrient concentration parameters, NC,, NC,, NC, and NC,, were
respectively coded as 6-bit binary strings. That is, one individual is given by such
combination of four 6-bit binary strengths as 001010, 110110, 000111 and 101010.
At first, initial population P(0) consists of Ni individuals are generated randomly. Then the
crossover and mutation operators are applied to those individuals. Through these operations,
we obtained N ( =Ni+Nc+N, ) sorts of individuals ( N, and N, represent newly created
individual numbers by the crossover and mutation, respectively ). Next, the fitness ( TLL/SD
) of each individual ( .?--stepnutrient concentration ) is calculated using the neuro-model, and
then individuals with higher fitness are selected as a new individual in the next generation
through a selection. These operations are iterated until the optimal value can be obtained.
2.4 Experimental condition and plant material
The experiment was done in a greenhouse, where air temperature is controlled between 20
and 30 degree C by a computer. Plant material used here is tomato plants (Lycopersicon
esculentum Mill. cv. "Momotaro" ) grown in a deep hydroponic system. In the deep
hydroponic system, greater part of roots is dipped in the solution. The measurement of plant
growth was carried out during the early growth stage from about 12 to 50cm plant height.
3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Plant growth responses and those identification results by way of neural network
Figure 3 shows daily growth changes in TLL/SD, amount of light intensity and three
operations of the nutrient concentration. It is found that the response of TLL/SD is markedly
affected by nutrient concentration. The data number N is equal to 22. Using this data, we
identified the TLL/SD as affected by both light intensity and nutrient concentration.
Figure 4 shows comparisons of the estimated response, obtained by the dynamic method,
and observed response of the TLL/SD. The system parameter number and the hidden neuron
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number for the neuro-computation were estimated to be 5 and 5, respectively. Hence the
neuron numbers of this neural network are 17 in the input layer, 5 in the hidden layer and 1
in the output layer. All estimated responses show a good agreement with respective observed
responses. Thus we could obtain successful model for the computation of the fitness (
TLL/SD ) to any 4-step values of the nutrient concentration.

3.2 Evolution characteristics by way of genetic algorithm and optimal control pelfoimance
The process of searching a optimal value is alike to evolution process. Figure 5 shows
evolution curves of the fitness ( TLL/SD ). Horizontal axis shows the iteration number for
genetic operations. The crossover rate P, and mutation rate P, used here are 0.8 and 0.8,
respectively. From the figure, the fitness dramatically increased with generation number and
then reached the maximum value at 9th-generation. In this case, more rapid increase in the
fitness are observed when both values of P, and P, take high values as shown in Fig.5. Thus
the use of genetic algorithm induced very quick search of the optimal value without falling
into local optima.
Figure 6 shows optimal control performance of the TLL/SD obtained from the calculation
of the dynamic model. The operation recommends to keep the nutrient concentration a little
high in the 1st-stage, markedly low in the 2nd-stage, a little high in the 3rd-stage and high
in the 4th-stage. From the regression method also, similar operation was obtained. The
application of it to the actual growth control resulted in a good plant growth.
4. CONCLUSION

The control technique combining genetic algorithm and neural network was applied to the
control for growth optimization of plant. The aim is to decide optimal 4-step operations of
the nutrient concentration of the hydroponic solution, which maximize the total leaf length
to stem diameter ( TLL/SD ). The use of neural network made it possible to identify such
complex system as the TLL/SD to nutrient concentration, and we obtained successful model
for computation of the TLL/SD. Furthermore the genetic algorithm enables us to quikely
search the optimal 4-step operations which maximize the TLL/SD among numerous responses
calculated from the model. The optimal value was obtained within 9-generation under high
crossover and mutation rates. This operation was available for the actual growth control.
Thus the hybrid control technique proposed here seems to be effective for solving the optimal
control problem of the plant to which mathematical approaches cannot apply.

REFERENCES
Chen, S., S.A. Billings and P.M.Grant ( 1990 ). Non-linear identification using neural
networks. International Journal of Control, 51(6), pp.1191-1214.
Genetic algorithms in search, optimization and machine
Goldberg, D ( 1989 ).
learning, Addison-Wesley.
Grefenstette, J.J. ( 1986 ). Optimization of control parameters for genetic algorithms.
IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, 16(1), pp.122-128.
Morimoto, T., I. Cho and Y. Hashimoto ( 1991 ). Identification of hydroponics in an
advanced control system of the greenhouse. Proc. 9th IFACIIFORS Symposium
on Identification and System Parameter Estimation, 1, pp.610-615.
Morimoto, t., T. Torii and Y. Hashimoto (1993). Computer integrated system for plant
factory. Proc. 12th IFAC World Congress, ( in press ).
Van Winden, C.M.M. ( 1988 ). Soilless culture technique and its relation to the
greenhouse climate. Acta Horticulturae, 229, pp.125-132.
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optimization of plant
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