Exploring End-to-End object detection with transformers versus YOLOv8 for enhanced citrus fruit detection within trees

Abstract

This paper presents a comparative analysis between two state-of-the-art object detection models, DETR and YOLOv8, focusing on their effectiveness in fruit detection for yield prediction in agriculture. The study begins with data acquisition, utilizing images and corresponding annotations to train and evaluate the models. Our approach employs a data-driven methodology, dividing the dataset into training and testing sets, with rigorous validation to ensure robustness. For DETR, evaluation results demonstrate promising performance across various IoU thresholds, indicating its effectiveness in accurately localizing fruits within bounding boxes. Additionally, YOLOv8 exhibits substantial improvements in detection performance, achieving high precision and recall rates, particularly noteworthy for "orange" and "sweet_orange" classes. Notably, the model showcases commendable proficiency even in challenging scenarios. In conclusion, both DETR and YOLOv8 offer valuable insights for precision farming, aiding farmers in yield prediction and harvest planning. While DETR demonstrates robustness and efficiency in fruit detection, YOLOv8 excels in high-precision detection, albeit with longer training times. These findings highlight the potential of advanced object detection models in revolutionizing agricultural practices, contributing to enhanced productivity and market equilibrium.