Weight interpretation of artificial neural network model for analysis of rice (Oryza sativa L.) with near-infrared spectroscopy

•ANN model was build based on NIR spectra and nutrient values of 110 rice samples.•Good correlation between ANN predicted and experimental nutrient values observed.•Scientific interpretation of weights agreed well with previously reported results.•Interpretation of weights was also in good agreement with conventional PLS analysis. Prediction models for major nutrients of rice were built using near-infrared (NIR) spectral data based on the artificial neural network (ANN). Scientific interpretation of the weight values was proposed and performed to understand the wavenumbers contributing to the prediction of nutrients. NIR spectra were acquired from 110 rice samples. Carbohydrate and moisture contents were predicted with values for the determination coefficient, relative root mean square error, range error ratio, and residual prediction deviation of 0.98, 0.11 %, 44, and 7.3, and 0.97, 0.80 %, 27, and 5.8, respectively. The results agreed well with ones reported in the previous studies and acquired by the conventional partial least squares (PLS)-variable importance in projection method. This study demonstrates that the combination of NIR and ANN is a powerful and accurate tool to monitor nutrients of rice and scientific interpretation of weights can be performed to overcome black box nature of the ANN.