The present study consists to using artificial neural networks to create mathematical models allowing to predict the growth of tomato plants and to compare them to the growth in real time in order to control the productivity of the tomato. Tomato growth was modeled by an empirical model using artificial neural networks as a tool through a program developed in the Matlab R2010b software. Mathematical models were developed to predict the growth of the tomato plant for the number of leaves, leaf length and width, height and circumference of the plant. The experiments were carried out in the regions of High Sassandra (Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire). The coefficients of determination between the experimental measurements and the measurements predicted by artificial neural networks are respectively 0.9722; 0.9925; 0.997; 0.9945 and 0.9926 for plant height; the number of sheets; the circumference of the plant; leaf length and leaf width. These results are satisfactory insofar as all the coefficients of determination (R2) are greater than 0.97. Likewise, the curves representing the predicted values and the experimental values have practically the same appearances or even confused. These results show a good interpolation between the experimental values and those predicted by the mathematical models.

The objective of the present study is to optimize seed cotton production by using ox dung in the BERE region of northwestern Côte d’Ivoire. The effect of ox dung was tested at a dose of 3000 kg/ha against 200 kg/ha of a mineral NPK fertilizer on cotton production. Two seeding methods regularly used by farmers were used in this study: flat seeding and seeding on ridges. The spacing of 80 cm x 30 cm with 2 plants per stake corresponding to the density of 83500 plants/ha were adopted. The experimental set-up consisted of completely randomized blocks with three replications. Observations were made on six agronomic parameters. Oxen dung increased the mass and yield of seed cotton by 19% compared to NPK, increasing their respective values from 3253.72 kg/ha for NPK and 3879.64 kg/ha for oxen dung. However, it induced low vegetative parameters of the cotton plants. The yield obtained with ridge seeding was higher than with flat seeding. The dung can therefore replace NPK fertilizer under the same growing conditions.