COMMERCIALISED DURIAN PLANTATION: DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN OF WEB AND MOBILE APPLICATION

Durian farmers face many challenges in managing their plantations efficiently and effectively. These challenges include unpredictable weather patterns, labour shortages, pest and disease outbreaks, market fluctuations, and the complexity of managing farm operations. The commercialisation of durian plantations represents a significant shift in the agricultural landscape, driven by increasing demand for this prized tropical fruit. This project focuses on developing and designing a comprehensive web and mobile application explicitly tailored for commercialised durian plantations in Malaysia. Employing the Rapid Application Development (RAD) approach, the project encompasses four main phases: analysis, rapid design, prototyping, testing, and deployment. By leveraging digital technology, the application aims to address these challenges by streamlining various aspects of durian plantation management, including crop monitoring, inventory management, pest and disease tracking, and yield forecasting. Through user-friendly interfaces and intuitive functionalities, the application seeks to empower durian growers with actionable insights and decision-making tools to navigate these challenges and enhance their operations' productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. An evaluation component was conducted to assess the usability and effectiveness of the application in real-world plantation settings. Overall, the response to the evaluation indicated that both applications are valuable and easy to use, justifying their integration into durian plantation


INTRODUCTION
Durian, native to Southeast Asia, holds the moniker "King of Fruits."Scientifically named Durio zibethinus, it thrives primarily in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.Recognisable for its intense aroma, large size, and tough, thorn-covered shell, durian is a staple in the region.Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia provide ideal conditions for durian cultivation, with temperatures ranging from 27°C to 35°C and annual rainfall between 1800 mm to 4000 mm, favouring its growth in tropical climates (Rasad, 2020).Cultivating durians is a meticulous endeavour, requiring careful consideration of numerous factors to produce marketable fruit suitable for commercialisation.However, farmers often face challenges in managing durian plantations, as manual cultivation management lacks efficiency.Additionally, the absence of a systematic information system among farmers can result in poorly maintained plantations and unmarketable durian fruits.Moreover, a lack of knowledge in disease and pest control, soil preparation, and drainage systems further complicates cultivation efforts.
The commercialisation of durian plantations in Malaysia represents a significant shift in the durian industry landscape.Historically, durian cultivation in Malaysia was largely subsistence-based, with small-scale farmers growing durian primarily for local consumption (Baharum et al., 2019).However, increasing demand, coupled with advancements in agricultural technology and infrastructure, has led to the establishment of large-scale durian plantations aimed at meeting both domestic and international markets (Abdullah et al., 2020).The growing popularity of durian has prompted a surge in research exploring market trends and consumer preferences.Studies have identified factors influencing durian purchasing decisions, including fruit quality, variety, price, and convenience (Lim & Yacob, 2018).Additionally, according to Roslan et al. (2021), consumer preferences vary across different demographic segments, highlighting the importance of targeted marketing strategies and product differentiation in the commercialised durian industry.However, technology is crucial in modern durian plantation management, facilitating efficiency, productivity, and sustainability.Web and mobile applications have emerged as valuable tools for durian growers, offering real-time monitoring of plantation conditions, inventory management, pest and disease tracking, and yield forecasting (Mohd Radzuan et al., 2022).These applications empower farmers with data-driven insights and decision-making capabilities, ultimately enhancing farm management practices.This project tackles these obstacles by customising web-based and mobile applications to meet durian farmers' requirements.These applications provide pertinent information and support for durian cultivation, facilitating streamlined plantation management and increased productivity.Through this initiative, the project seeks to alleviate the challenges encountered by durian farmers and foster the sustainable development of the durian industry.The envisioned webbased and mobile applications are poised to benefit durian farmers significantly by facilitating the growth and maintenance of durian trees through systematic plantation management.Particularly advantageous for farmers with sizable staff, this system synchronises data across multiple devices, ensuring seamless access to vital plantation information.Tasks, tree condition reports, and production details can be effortlessly accessed on various devices, mitigating challenges such as disorganised task scheduling and inaccurate production data.By leveraging these benefits, the system holds the potential to address critical challenges faced by farmers, thereby enhancing efficiency and productivity in durian cultivation.
To tackle the challenges, the project endeavours to aid durian farmers across Malaysia by establishing a mobile and web-based application as the central network.To achieve this, the project has been structured into three main objectives: (1).Identify the requirements for the Commercialised Durian Plantation Information System, (2).Develop the prototype of the Commercialised Durian Plantation Information System and (3).Evaluate the usability of the Commercialised Durian Plantation Information System.By pursuing these objectives, the project aims to offer comprehensive support to durian farmers, thereby improving their cultivation practices and ultimately advancing the durian industry in Malaysia.Despite the promising prospects of commercialised durian plantations, several other challenges persist.Climate change, land scarcity, labour shortages, and pest infestations threaten durian cultivation (Environment Asia, 2020).Moreover, ensuring sustainable practices and maintaining product quality remains paramount for durian growers.However, these challenges also present opportunities for innovation and collaboration within the industry, driving the development of novel technologies and practices to address emerging issues.

BACKGROUND AND RELATED STUDIES
Plantation or orchard management is a process of management that includes all the stages involved in transforming a piece of land into a productive and profitable crop (Upson, 2021).Figure 1 shows the stages involved in orchard management.The process begins before the trees are planted.The plantation farmer needs to determine certain aspects, such as goals, work plans and priorities related to the plantation, before planting a seed on the land.These aspects are crucial for the growth of any trees to produce marketable fruits, nevertheless durian fruits.After identifying the factors above, the tree saplings are planted according to the work plan.
The second stage takes place during tree growth and is tree care.This includes fertilising and applying pesticides to the crop.It also includes determining the necessary action or steps to deal with a diseased tree and having a disaster plan, such as fires, droughts, or floods.It is crucial to address the possible issues as soon as the problem is identified, as it has a higher chance of saving and repairing the tree.The last stage in plantation management is harvesting.When the trees can bear mature fruit, harvesting and selling the production occur at this stage.The harvesting process includes hiring a group of workers, keeping account of the amount of fruit collected, and finally finding markets for the product.During this stage, necessary data such as the fruit size and weight, age of the tree, and type of fruit are recorded, as the data can provide an overview of what to improve for the future harvest.

Plantation Management Phases
An information system is a collection of interconnected components for collecting, storing, and processing data, as well as supplying information, knowledge, and digital products (Zwass, 2020) Information systems are used by businesses and other organisations to conduct and administer their business operations.The same is true for durian plantations.Information systems play a massive role in each stage of plantation management, mainly in the harvesting stage.Therefore, a systematic information system is essential for durian cultivation as the yield condition depends on the steps taken for each stage.With the advancement of technologies, the commercialisation of durian plantations has emerged as a critical trend in the Malaysian agricultural sector, reflecting the growing recognition of durian as a lucrative cash crop.Large-scale durian plantations have proliferated nationwide, particularly in regions with favourable climatic conditions and soil quality for durian cultivation.This shift towards commercialisation has been facilitated by various factors, including advancements in agricultural technology, improved infrastructure, and strategic marketing initiatives aimed at capitalising on the global appeal of durian (Abdullah et al., 2021).With the rise of commercialised durian plantations, there has been a growing emphasis on leveraging digital technologies to enhance farm management practices, streamline operations, and optimise yields.Web and mobile applications have emerged as valuable tools for durian growers, offering functionalities such as real-time monitoring of plantation conditions, inventory management, pest and disease control, and direct consumer engagement.

Related Studies
A few Studies were conducted on the existing system for durian plantation management.Five studies related to durian digital technologies are compared, as written in Table 1.
Instead, this study found that two (2) commercial information systems developed for the durian industries, Durian Plantation Management (PMMP) and E-Soft Durian Plantation System, are software solutions designed to assist in managing durian plantations.However, they differ in several aspects: PMMP is a comprehensive system for managing various aspects of durian plantation operations.It offers crop monitoring, inventory management, financial tracking, and labour management functionalities.PMMP is designed to cater to the needs of durian plantations of various sizes, from small-scale operations to more significant commercial ventures.On the other hand, the E-Soft Durian Plantation System is a specialised software solution tailored explicitly for durian plantation management.It focuses on specific tasks related to durian cultivation, such as crop monitoring, inventory management, and possibly labour tracking.This system may offer fewer features than PMMP but provides a more focused and specialised approach to durian plantation management.
Both systems may integrate with IoT devices and sensors to collect real-time data on environmental conditions, soil moisture levels, and plant health.They may also offer mobile accessibility through companion mobile applications, allowing users to access essential features and data anywhere.While PMMP may provide a broader range of functionalities and scalability options, the E-Soft Durian Plantation System offers a more specialised and potentially streamlined approach explicitly tailored for durian cultivation.The choice between the two systems would depend on factors such as the size and specific requirements of the durian plantation, as well as the preferences of the users.
Regarding limitations, both PMMP and E-Soft Durian Plantation System may have limitations in terms of customisation options.Users may find it challenging to tailor the software to their needs or integrate custom features essential for their durian plantation management processes.While PMMP and E-Soft Durian Plantation System offer valuable tools for durian plantation management, they may have limitations regarding customisation, scalability, compatibility, data analysis, user interface, cost, and mobile accessibility.Durian growers should carefully evaluate these limitations and consider their specific requirements before selecting a software solution for their plantation management needs.
We aim to develop a user-friendly application tailored specifically for small and medium durian orchard farmers.Recognising farmers' diverse needs and constraints in managing their orchards, we aim to create an intuitive and accessible platform that simplifies essential tasks and streamlines operations.By prioritising ease of use and accessibility, we aim to empower durian farmers of all skill levels to effectively utilise digital tools for managing their orchards, optimising resource allocation, and enhancing productivity.Through close collaboration with farmers and continuous feedback gathering, we are committed to developing a solution that meets the unique needs of small and medium durian orchard farmers, ultimately contributing to the sustainability and success of their operations.

METHODOLOGY OF STUDY
Rapid Application Development (RAD) was adopted as the project management process in completing this project.A form of the agile methodology development process, RAD emphasises rapid prototyping and iterations.It allows developers to quickly make several iterations and updates to a program without starting from the beginning of the development schedule for each update ￼ .This method was chosen as the project management process because the project was completed within a short period, which was 28 weeks.

Figure 2 Rapid Analysis Design (RAD) Phases
In the first phase, analysis and quick design were done by gathering the necessary information to obtain an overview of the programme needed to solve the problems.The information-gathering process consisted of reviewing articles and researching the durian domain.Necessary information on the process of durian cultivation, which includes preparation of soil, drainage system, fertilisation system and harvesting, was collected for a better understanding of the domain.In addition, this project was constructed to compare the existing applications during this phase.When there is sufficient information, analysis defines the objectives, scope, timelines, and expectations.
The second phase is the prototype cycle, where this project carries out three steps: to develop, demonstrate, and refine the prototypes.During this phase, this project developed prototypes of the applications based on the requirements obtained from the clients and the research conducted on similar applications.The requirements were obtained through questionnaires that collect data on the current system used by the clients and the situation or problem faced by the clients in durian cultivation.Then, the prototypes were shown to the clients to determine the suitability of the application in durian cultivation.When the project was in line with the client's requirements, the project proceeded with the refinement process.Updates and changes on the prototype issued by the clients were considered and used to improve the product.This project converted the prototypes about the updates to a working product during this phase.To develop the working product, this project used HTML, PHP, CSS, and SQL languages for the web-based application and Java language for the mobile-based application.
This project tested the application using pilot and field testing in the testing phase.Testing was conducted to ensure every function worked smoothly and met the client's requirements.Five people were handpicked for pilot testing, including three males and two females, who were selected to test both applications.The participants were selected from a group of conveniently available people, including friends and family.On the other hand, durian farmers or fruit farmers were contacted to conduct field testing.During this phase, the participants were allowed to propose new ideas, alterations, or updates to the working application.Subsequently, both tests were implemented, and the updates presented during the process were used to make necessary changes to the application.
In the last phase, this project deployed the finalised application to the client using a web host selected, 000WebHost, and FileZilla to upload the related files on a remote server for the web-based application.The coding files for the mobile-based application were transformed into an APK file shared through the Google Drive folder link.This phase consisted of constructing documentation on the user manual, including screenshots and descriptions for functions featured in the application, which was aimed to assist the user in navigating the application.Final changes were also made while checking the system for bugs during this phase.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
The system developed is divided into two systems: web-based applications and mobile-based applications.Both applications are interrelated with each other and share the same database.Each plantation system can only be accessed by the farmers of the plantation, both the owner and the workers.People outside of the plantation, including other durian farmers, cannot access the plantation system except for their plantation system if they have registered with the system developer.The system also requires a primary internet connection as both applications will be connected to the web server.Storage is also required for mobile-based applications as it takes up a relatively small amount of device storage when installed.This system assumes that the user is familiar with a web-based application and mobile-based application interface and with handling and interacting with computer and mobile device hardware such as keyboard, mouse, and touch screen.Since the web-based application requires a web browser to be accessed, it is assumed that the user has an internet browser installed on the computer.

The Requirements of the Commercialised Durian Plantation Information System (CDPIS)
The CDPIS requirements were obtained using three methods: (1) interviewing selected durian farmers and (2) analysing the documents and existing durian management plantation system.The interview was informal on a durian farmer using the Phone Interview method.The durian farmer mentioned was contacted through an acquaintance.Open-ended questions were asked during the interview, mainly about the difficulties faced in managing durian plantations and the functions expected for the system.The farmer's responses were recorded and analysed to obtain the requirements.Besides, the documents and existing systems related to this project were analysed.The documents or articles were found by searching related keywords, such as "durian farming system", "farming app", and "farming management system" on the Google search engine.The documents were examined to determine the system application requirements that could aid the farmer in durian plantation management.
The functional requirements for the CDPIS web-based application consist of six significant requirements, namely "login account", "manage plantation", "schedule task", "manage report", "view production", and "generate QR", as rendered in Table 2.In comparison, the CDPIS mobile app consists of three significant requirements, namely "login account", "list task", and "scan QR", as rendered in Table 3.As for the non-functional requirements, the CDPIS web-based application consists of three significant requirements, namely "secure system", "performance system", and "design website", as rendered in Table 4, while the CDPIS mobile app consists of two significant requirements namely "secure system" and "design app" as rendered in Table 5. M indicates the priority of the requirements for both applicationsmandatory requirements (something the system must do), Ddesirable requirements (something the system preferably should do) and Ooptional requirements (something the system may do).The system should display the records of the tree background M

CDPIS02_02
The system should display records of fruit background M

CDPIS02_03
The system should allow users to add records of tree background D

CDPIS02_04
The system should allow users to remove records of tree background D

CDPIS02_05
The system should allow users to add records of fruit background D

CDPIS02_06
The system should allow users to remove records of fruit background D

CDPIS02_07
The system should allow users to edit records of tree background O

CDPIS02_08
The system should allow users to edit records of fruit background O

CDPIS02_09
The system should display an error message if there is an empty field when the user saves the records.

O CDPIS02_10
The system should display an error message if the ID entered to add a record exist in the database. O

CDPIS03
Schedule Task

CDPIS03_01
The system should display the task list M

CDPIS03_02
The system should sync the system task list with the app task list M

CDPIS03_03
The system should allow users to add tasks to the task list D

CDPIS03_04
The system should allow users to remove tasks from the task list D

CDPIS03_05
The system should allow users to edit tasks in the task list O

CDPIS03_06
The system should display an error message if there is an empty field when the user saves the task.

CDPIS04
Manage Report

CDPIS04_01
The system should display all reports made through the app M

CDPIS04_02
The system should allow users to remove reports D

CDPIS04_03
The system should allow users to edit reports O

CDPIS04_04
The system should display an error message if there is an empty field when the user saves the report.

CDPIS05
View Production

CDPIS05_01
The system should display all records of good fruits from the app M

CDPIS05_02
The system should display all records of rotten fruits from the app M

CDPIS06_01
The system should generate unique QR codes for trees M

CDPIS06_02
The system should generate unique QR codes for fruits M

CDPIS06_03
The system should allow the user to display the existing QR code.

D CDPIS06_04
The system should display an error message if the ID entered to generate QR does not exist in the database.
O The app should allow users to scan the QR codes from trees and fruits

M CDPIS09_02
The app should display the tree details after scanning the tree's QR code D

CDPIS09_03
The app should display an option to add a report for tree inspection after scanning the tree QR code.

D CDPIS09_04
The app should display the fruit detail function after scanning the fruit QR code.

D CDPIS09_05
The app should display an option to select the fruit's condition after scanning the QR code.

D CDPIS09_06
The app should allow users to key in reports after selecting Add Report.

O CDPIS09_07
The app should allow users to select the option good for fruit condition after selecting harvest fruit.

O CDPIS09_08
The app should allow users to select the option bad for fruit condition after selecting harvest fruit.

O CDPIS09_09
The system should display an error message if there is an empty field when the user saves the report.

O Table 4
Non The system theme is minimalist D CDPIS12_02 The system font must be easy to read D The app font must be easy to read D The requirements in Tables 3,4 and 5 were visualised and modelled using the proper modelling methods and tools.The requirements were visualised and modelled using this project's Unified Modelling Language (UML).Two behavioural diagrams, namely use case and activity diagrams, as well as a class diagram that illustrates the app's structural components, were employed in this study.
StarUML was used to create the mentioned diagrams.Figures 3 and 4 represent the use case diagram of the system, which describes the interactions between the use cases and the actor of the application.The use cases are the primary functional requirements for each application.The use case of "Manage Plantation" for web-based applications enables the user to conduct sub-functions such as "Manage Tree" and "Manage Fruit".The use case diagram is elaborated to highlight the app's dynamic behaviour.As a result, the interactions involved when using the system are depicted in an activity diagram.The class diagram, as shown in Figure 5, depicts the structural components of the system in durian plantation information management.CDPIS, an integrated system for durian plantation management that consists of web-based and mobile-based applications, was developed as a prototype.It encapsulates the requirements outlined in the preceding section.Software prototyping is a standard method of displaying software requirements so that users can provide additional feedback and suggestions based on their interactions with the prototype.Visual Code Studio was the tool used to develop the web-based prototype, which is the CDPIS website, while Android Studio was used to develop the mobile-based prototype, the CDPIS mobile app.Both applications are interconnected with a database server developed using PHPMyAdmin.The development of the website prototype was also made possible using the XAMPP Control Panel.Figures 6 and 7 show the screenshots of the selected interfaces for the CDPIS website, while Figure 8 shows the screenshots for the CDPIS mobile app.

EVALUATION AND RESULT The Evaluation Settings
Due to the current situation and the pandemic, the testing was conducted unmoderated and remotely.
A usability evaluation was conducted to determine the ease of use of the applications' design and development among the representative users who participated in the field testing.Usability testing is one type of evaluation, which includes developing a test plan, gathering participants, and analysing the result in the field-testing report.
The target population for this project is durian farmers and people interested in durian cultivation.To evaluate the system, a sampling technique was used to select the participants.The technique adopted was a combination of quota and convenience techniques from the non-probability sampling category.
Quota is a sampling technique in which the participants were chosen according to traits.The traits mentioned are gender, age, and knowledge of computers and technologies.The convenience method was also used, in which the participants were chosen from a group of people who were the easiest to contact or to reach.For field testing, a handful of durian farmers were personally contacted.However, only two durian farmers were willing to conduct the evaluation anonymously.To obtain more participants, the convenience method was applied by reaching out to the participants through social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Facebook.The total number of participants for the whole system is unclear, as the field testing was taken anonymously.Some participants may partake in the evaluation for both applications if not one.Therefore, the number of participants was counted according to the number of records in the post-task questionnaires for each category, which is the type of application.
The instrument used for this evaluation is a Word document.The document contains the instructions on how to conduct the system testing and evaluation, the credentials to log into the system, the link to the Google Form for the post-task questionnaires, and the link to the system, which includes the website link and Google Drive link to download the Android application package (APK).The posttask questionnaire consisted of 21 questions in 4 sections.Section A asked for the participants' demographic information; Section B asked about the type of application reviewed by the participants; Section C asked for the participants' opinions and experiences on the applications; and Section D asked for the participants' thoughts on the application in terms of suggestions for improvements or the general thought.Section C comprises 13 questions on a five-point Likert scale where one represents strongly disagree, and five represents strongly agree.The participants performed the following step-by-step procedure for the evaluation: (1) read the instructions, (2) access the system for each application, (3) conduct the task on the applications as stated in the experiment procedure, and (3) answer the post-task questionnaire.

The Participants' Demographic Information Web-based Application
Based on the analysis conducted on the participants' demographic information for web-based application testing, it was found that most participants, 64.7% of 17 participants, were male.Only 17.6% of the participants were male and aged 30 years and below, while the rest were male and aged 31 to 50.The rest were female, with the number evenly distributed for 30 years and below and 31-50 years old.Most participants, which was 47.1%, do farming or Durian farming as a part-time job, with most of the participants venturing into Durian farming for 2 to 4 years as a part-time job.35.3% of the participants do this job full-time, and most have done it for over six years as a full-time job.5.9% of the participants intend to do Durian farming full-time.17.6% of them have not or may not want to venture into Durian cultivation.As for the type of durian, most participants have cultivated or want to cultivate Musang King as it has the highest frequency, which was 13 records, followed by D24, with 11 frequencies, and D101, with eight frequencies.The least cultivated type of Durian was XO, as only 2 of the participants have cultivated or intended to cultivate this Durian type.

Mobile-based Application
Based on the analysis conducted on the participants' demographic information for mobile-based application testing, it was found that 80% of 16 participants are male, with 40% being male and at the age of 30 years and below.A small number of participants are female, only 20% of the total.Only 2 participants are male and at the age of 51 years and above.Most of the participants, which was 46.7% of them, does farming or Durian farming as a full-time job with most of the participants have been venturing in Durian farming for 2 to 4 years or over six years as a full-time job.40% of the participants do this job part-time, and most have done it for 2 to 4 years or 4 to 6 years as a part-time job.6.7% of them have not or may not want to venture into Durian cultivation, while 6.7% have cultivated other fruits or vegetables for less than two years.As for the type of durian, most participants have cultivated or want to cultivate D101, Durian Kampung and Musang King as they have the highest frequency, eight records, followed by Black Thorn and D24, with six as frequency.The least cultivated type of Durian was Red Prawn XO, as only 2 participants have cultivated or intended to cultivate this Durian type.

The Usability of Commercialized Durian Plantation Information System
The questions in Section C of the post-task questionnaire were used to measure the system's task performance, usefulness, ease of use, and satisfaction based on the participants' experience during the testing.Figures 9, 11

Figure 9
The Usefulness of CDPIS Web-based Application Responses The Usefulness of CDPIS Mobile-based Application Responses The Ease of Use of CDPIS Web-based Application Responses The Ease of Use of CDPIS Mobile-based Application Responses The Satisfaction of CDPIS Web-based Application Responses further the provision of the necessary aid in durian plantation management.Currently, the system can only manage and standardise the information about the durian plantation.
In the future, the functionality of the CDPIS can be expanded by adding new functions, such as a tree monitoring system.Through the application of sensors and Artificial Intelligence into the system, this function enables users to virtually monitor their plantation as it can determine the humidity and temperature of the soil, which is essential for the growth of the durian trees.Besides, a function such as an automated scheduling system can help produce a more marketable durian fruit.The function includes step-by-step durian cultivation and guidelines on actions to be taken when the trees are infected with diseases or pests.In conclusion, the commercialisation of durian plantations in Malaysia represents a dynamic and evolving sector within the agriculture industry.Web and mobile applications offer promising avenues for enhancing farm management practices, improving productivity, and meeting the demands of an increasingly discerning consumer base.By leveraging technology and embracing innovation, Malaysian durian growers can position themselves for continued success in the global market while promoting sustainable practices and preserving the rich heritage of durian cultivation.
Figure 3 Web-based Application Use Case Diagram

Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8
Figure 6Login Account Page(Web-based Application) , and 13 illustrate the percentage of the responses for the web-based application testing, while Figures10, 12, and 14 illustrate the response for the mobile-based application.

Table 1
Previous Studies Related to Durian and Digital Technologies

Table 2
Functional Requirements for Web-based Application

Table 3
Functional Requirements for Mobile-based Application

Table 5
Non-Functional Requirements for Mobile-based Application