DEVELOPMENT OF PROTOTYPE EXPERT SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFICATION AND CONTROL OF INSECT PESTS.

A prototype, rule-based expert system (PEST - Pest Expert SysTem) was developed to evaluate how knowledge engineering techniques may be used to provide insect identification and control advice to farmers and extension workers in Western Australia. PEST uses expert system techniques to ask questions and gives recommendations and advice in a manner akin to an agricultural entomologist. This paper describes the types of decisions made and the knowledge engineering tasks undertaken during development of PEST. The methods used to acquire and represent entomological knowledge in the form of facts, rules and relationships are explained. The reasoning mechanisms employed by the system to interpret and apply rules are also discussed and an example of a session with the PEST program is presented.