Search results

1 – 2 of 2
Article
Publication date: 6 November 2017

Shouhui Wang, Jianguo Dai, Qingzhan Zhao and Meina Cui

Many factors affect the emergence and development of crop diseases and insect pests. Traditional methods for investigating this subject are often difficult to employ and produce…

Abstract

Purpose

Many factors affect the emergence and development of crop diseases and insect pests. Traditional methods for investigating this subject are often difficult to employ and produce limited data with considerable uncertainty. The purpose of this paper is to predict the annual degree of cotton spider mite infestations by employing grey theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors established a GM(1,1) model to forecast mite infestation degree based on the analysis of historical data. To improve the prediction accuracy, the authors modified the grey model using Markov chain and BP neural network analyses. The prediction accuracy of the GM(1,1), Grey-Markov chain, and Grey-BP neural network models was 84.31, 94.76, and 96.84 per cent, respectively.

Findings

Compared with the single grey forecast model, both the Grey-Markov chain model and the Grey-BP neural network model had higher forecast accuracy, and the accuracy of the latter was highest. The improved grey model can be used to predict the degree of cotton spider mite infestations with high accuracy and overcomes the shortcomings of traditional forecasting methods.

Practical implications

The two new models were used to estimate mite infestation degree in 2015 and 2016. The Grey-Markov chain model yielded respective values of 1.27 and 1.15, whereas the Grey-BP neural network model yielded values 1.4 and 1.68; the actual values were 1.5 and 1.8.

Originality/value

The improved grey model can be used for medium- and long-term predictions of the occurrence of cotton spider mites and overcomes problems caused by data singularity and fluctuation. This research method can provide a reference for the prediction of similar diseases.

Details

Grey Systems: Theory and Application, vol. 7 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2043-9377

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 1951

Michele Troisi

Nei tempi moderni l'abitudine di viaggiare si è molto diffusa. Lo sviluppo del turismo s'accompagna al miglioramento della viabilità e all'introduzione dei nuovi mezzi di…

Abstract

Nei tempi moderni l'abitudine di viaggiare si è molto diffusa. Lo sviluppo del turismo s'accompagna al miglioramento della viabilità e all'introduzione dei nuovi mezzi di trasporto.

Details

The Tourist Review, vol. 6 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0251-3102

1 – 2 of 2