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Rhizobox Systems for Root and Rhizosphere Studies

Different rhizobox designs and sizes are available to study roots, rhizosphere and bulk soil processes under controlled conditions. VSI Rhizoboxes are durable and fully customizable.

Rhizobox Systems for Root and Soil Monitoring

Rhizobox for studies on root growth and soil properties
Click for example images

VSI Rhizoboxes. Vienna Scientific is a world leader in commercial rhizobox systems - used globally by a wide range of universities, research organisations and companies. The rhizoboxes

  • are available online in three easy-to-order standard rhizobox configurations (A5 - A3 letter size, 3 cm deep) OR can be fully customized (see pdf configuration form below) to meet your research/educational goals,
  • hold independently removable front and rear panels and flat surfaces (recessed screws) for easy imaging and manipulation, and
  • are cost effective (in production and shipping), easy to assemble and disassemble (for thorough cleaning and storage) see FAQ for Rhizobox assembly instructions), and very durable (by using spacers instead of tapped threat holes), and 

A wide range of matched accessories (racks, light shielding panels, manipulation stands) and rhizobox imaging platforms is available for implementing successful manual or automated experimental setups. Classic rhizoboxes with "tapped threat holes" in the side walls remain available. Please fill out a configuration form for custom rhizobox designs and/or contact us to discuss your unique rhizobox designs. Standardized rhizobox sizes (letter sizes A3 to A5) are available in the rhizobox online shop for customers within the EU.

Rhizobox - Features

  • Ideal for replicated root, rhizosphere and soil studies ex situ
  • Standard and custom dimensions (X x Y x Z) - small to large
  • Durable with external spacers/screws to reduce screw hole wear 
  • Small storage volume, easy to assemble/disassemble

Optional

  • Wide range of rhizobox accessories: Fitting racks, shading panels, storage boxes, etc.
  • Split rhizoboxes, with user defined compartments
  • Spare parts (to replace scratched panels, etc.) and exactly the same models (to extend experiments, etc.) available for years to come
  • Matching rhizobox respiration chambers

Standard VSI Rhizobox Design

A4 Rhizobox, topview (with protective foil)
Rhizobox A5, side-top
Rhizobox A5, front-top
Rhizobox, top view
Rhizobox perforated bottom, one row of drainage holes (1.5 mm) per cm depth (standard)
Rhizobox A5, side-view with spacers
Rhizobox A5, corner-view
Small Rhizobox, without spacers & protective foil still attached
Bulky Rhizobox for tuber crops, topview (with protective foil)

Splitbox, with middle separator ("Double Split" not shown)

Splitbox for two plants, two compartments
Splitbox with perforated back panel (rhizonbox), cover removed
Splitbox without cover (protective foil still attached), two compartments
Splitbox with 5 compartments, two sides transparent (protective foil still on)
Splitbox with lowered center divider and additional spacer (recommended for boxes over 50 cm in height)

"Classical" Rhizobox design, with tapped threat holes

Rhizobox classic green,
Large classic rhizoboxes
Rhizobox "classic"  blue
Classic Rhizobox, detail back panel

Double-Split RootBox Design

Double Split Rhizobox (classic)
Double Split Rhizobox (classic), top view with middle separator
Double Split Rhizobox (classic)
Double Split Rhizobox, back view

Rhizoboxes with Light Shielding Panels

Light Shielding Panel, with office binders
Rhizoboxes with light shielding panels
Root-boxes with cost-effective light cover in standard rack
Rhizobox, light cover removed

References VSI Rhizoboxes OPEN

  • Baykalov, P., Bussmann, B., Nair, R., Smith, A. G., Bodner, G., Hadar, O., ... & Rewald, B. (2023). Semantic segmentation of plant roots from RGB (mini-) rhizotron images—generalisation potential and false positives of established methods and advanced deep-learning models. Plant Methods, 19(1), 122.
  • Biehl, J., Sandén, H., & Rewald, B. (2023). Contrasting effects of two hydrogels on biomass allocation, needle loss, and root growth of Picea abies seedlings under drought. Forest Ecology and Management, 538, 120970.
  • Durand M, Porcheron B, Hennion N, Maurousset, L, Lemoine R, Pourtau N (2016) Water deficit enhances C export to the roots in Arabidopsis thaliana plants with contribution of sucrose transporters in both shoot and roots. Plant Physiol& 170: 1460–1479
  • Lohse, M., Haag, R., Lippold, E., Vetterlein, D., Reemtsma, T., & Lechtenfeld, O. J. (2021). Direct imaging of plant metabolites in the rhizosphere using laser desorption ionization ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry. ;Frontiers in Plant Science, 12, 753812.
  • Tripodi, P. (2022). Development, Preparation, and Curation of High-Throughput Phenotypic Data for Genome-Wide Association Studies: A Sample Pipeline in R. In Genome-Wide Association Studies (pp. 105-125). New York, NY: Springer US.
Download
VSI Rhizobox / Rhizonbox configuration form - 2023v3
Please fill out and send to quote@ or office@vienna-scientific.com for a quote.
VSI Rhizobox Config Form 2023v3.pdf
Adobe Acrobat Document 827.0 KB
Download
Custom Rhizoboxes - Send Email

Custom Rhizobox designs (and accessories) can be configured using the Config. Form (pdf), please add it to your email as an attachment. Standard Rhizoboxes / Split- & Access. are available in the rhizobox online shop (EU).



Custom-Made Rhizobox Designs - Made to Fit Your Research Goals

The Rhizobox designs shown above (as well as other options) can be configured using the Rhizobox Configuration Form (pdf, above). Please have a look at Rhizonboxes (for water sampling) or Rhizotrons ("ultra-large Rhizoboxes") for special purpose boxes. 

Triple-layer Rhizobox with custom Rhizoboxrack
Triple Rhizobox with custom racks

The VSI Rhizobox system can, however, be completely modified to meet your goals - see the configuration form, the Rhizobox image gallery (above) and/or some recent publications on rhizobox designs for ideas - or just ask us to develop a technical solution that fits your ideas. 

For example, splitting the root compartment ("splitboxes") is a cost-effective way to double the number of replicates or treatments. Double split boxes allow the installation of permeable nets, e.g. creating mycorrhizal hyphae and root compartments. SplitRoot boxes allow for splitroot experiments, etc. As the screw holes for the (independently removable) front and backplates are cut directly into the side walls ("tapped holes") in classical rhizo-box designs, these holes in the plastic can wear out due to use/misuse (especially dirt, overtightening). The standard VSI Rhizobox design avoids this source of failure by attaching screws to sturdy, corrosion-resistant metal spacers located adjacent to the inner chamber - making filling easier and extending service life. "Classic" designs with tapped threat holes are still available for special applications, e.g. easily fitting respiration chambers on top of rhizoboxes. In any case, the flat surfaces of our root boxes (countersunk screws) allow for space optimised placement (back-to-back) and facilitate imaging by flatbed scanners. Angled rhizobox racks (40° - 45°, or custom angle), holding five rhizoboxes each (or custom numbers), are available in several configurations. Cost-effective shading panels protect the root systems from light. Root cooling boxes for root system temperature control are currently tested. See RhizoNboxes if soil pore water sampling / manipulation is part of your research, and hydroponic RootRoxes if you need a watertight system. Finally, the VSI Rhizobox design, with external spacers and cutouts for easy assembly, allows boxes to be shipped in a much smaller volume, massively reducing shipping costs.

Test your Custom Designs: Rhizobox Configurator

Rooting Space in Rhizoboxes - free web tool
Test the Rhizobox Configurator

Wondering how much soil and rooting space will be available in your custom Rhizobox? How it depends on the size of the planting compartment and the thickness of the drainage layer or a split box design? Will the rooting volume be sufficient for the expected plant size? The Rhizobox Calculator (2023) makes it easy to determine the impact of specific rhizobox designs.


Rhizo-box Shipment & Assembly

Rhizobox Assembly Instructions

Most of our Rhizoboxes (but "classic" designs with threaded holes) are shipped unassembled to allow for lower shipping costs. Read more about the fast DIY Rhizobox assembly.



Consider: Expected Plant Biomass When Planning your Rhizobox Study - Pot-Size effects

Pot size matters: a meta-analysis of the effects of rooting volume on plant growth
Plant biomass as related to pot size. (c) Porter et al. (2012), Funct. Plant Biol.

The majority of controlled experiments in plant sciences use plants grown in some container or pot - or rhizobox. Porter et al. (2012) conducted a meta-analysis on the effect of pot size on growth and underlying variables. On average, a doubling of the pot size increased biomass production by 43%. The appropriate rhizotron / rhizobox size will thus depend on the size of the plants growing in them. The meta-analysis of Porter and colleagues (2012) suggested that an appropriate pot size is one in which the plant biomass does not exceed 1 g per Liter - while current research often exceeds that threshold.

Researchers thus need to carefully consider the rhizobox size applied in their experiments, as (too) small root boxes may change experimental results and defy the purpose of the study. Continue reading

See Porter et al. (2012) for details. However, Mašková & Klimeš (2020) found that proportional investment of plants into root biomass was similar in usual pots and in rhizoboxes. The pattern was stable across nutrition treatments and across species. Thus, if the rhizobox size is selected according to the estimated biomass at time of harvest, the geometric shape / form of the root box may have a limited effect on the experimental results. However, shallow- and deep-rooting species may still respond differently to the actual geometry of pots / rhizoboxes given the same volume (von Felten & Schmid 2008). In addition, lateral root system expansion can be limited by too narrow rhizoboxes, and too shallow rhizoboxes may hamper root systems depth development - roots "curling" at the bottom (i.e. drainage layer) of the rhizobox - hampering both growth analysis and interpretation of results incl. biomass depth stratification. Use a semiautomatic root washer to efficiently wash roots sampled from rhizobox experiments for biomass and morphological analysis. In any case, the hight of the soil column is also an important factor in determining the water content and its distribution within pots and therefore both the water potential and oxygen availability (Passioura 2006). Using the slim Bluetooth drill and drop probes in larger (thicker) rhizoboxes can help to understand the soil moisture distribution along the soil profile.

 

In sum, selecting appropriate rhizobox dimensions is key for obtaining most relevant results - we are thus happy to discuss species, water, temperature, and experimental period etc. before your order. Test your Rhizobox size fpor potential growth effects in our Rhizobox configurator tool. 

Please see the brief articles on temperature effects on root growth and development and light effects on roots. In brief, many studies keep roots at the same temperature as shoots and/or illuminated, with consequences for results. See the article on rhizobox inclination angle on root visibility. In brief, the soil filling procedure and angled positioning of rhizoboxes during root system development influences the degree of roots visible at transparent rhizobox front panels.

References Rhizoboxes for Root Phenotyping, Plant and Soil Studies OPEN

  • Biehl, J., et al. (2023). Contrasting Effects of Two Hydrogels on Biomass Allocation, Needle Loss, and Root Growth of Picea Abies Seedlings Under Drought. Forest Ecology and Management.
  • Beyer, F., D. Hertel, K. Jung, A.-C. Fender, and C. Leuschner. 2013. Competition effects on fine root survival of Fagus sylvatica and Fraxinus excelsior. Forest Ecology and Management 302:14-22.
  • Bontpart, T., C. Concha, V. Giuffrida, I. Robertson, K. Admkie, T. Degefu, N. Girma, K. Tesfaye, T. Haileselassie, A. Fikre, M. Fetene, S. A. Tsaftaris, and P. Doerner. 2019. Affordable and robust phenotyping framework to analyse root system architecture of soil-grown plants. bioRxiv:573139.
  • Cabrera, J., Conesa, C. M., & Del Pozo, J. C. (2022). May the dark be with roots: a perspective on how root illumination may bias in vitro research on plant–environment interactions. New Phytologist, 233(5), 1988-1997
  • Gonkhamdee, S., A. Pierret, J. L. Maeght, V. Serra, K. Pannengpetch, C. Doussan, and L. Pagés. 2010. Effects of corn (Zea mays L.) on the local and overall root development of young rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis Muel. Arg). Plant and Soil 334:335-351.
  • Hylander, L. D. 2002. Improvements of rhizoboxes used for studies of soil–root interactions. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 33:155-161.
  • Lohse, M., et al. (2021). Direct imaging of plant metabolites in the rhizosphere using laser desorption ionization ultra-high resolution mass spectrometry. Frontiers in Plant Science: 2733.
  • Mašková, T., & Klimeš, A. 2020. The effect of rhizoboxes on plant growth and root: shoot biomass partitioning. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10, 1693.
  • Passioura, J. B. (2006). The perils of pot experiments. Functional Plant Biology, 33(12), 1075-1079.
  • Poorter, H., Bühler, J., van Dusschoten, D., Climent, J., & Postma, J. A. (2012). Pot size matters: a meta-analysis of the effects of rooting volume on plant growth. Functional Plant Biology, 39(11), 839-850.
  • Rambla, C., Kang, Y., Ober, E. S., Hickey, L. T., Alahmad, S., Voss-Fels, K. P., ... & Van Der Meer, S. 2023. Easy-to-build rhizobox method to support wheat root research and breeding for future production systems.
  • Sachs, J. (1865) Handbuch der Experimental-Physiologie der Pflanzen. Leipzig: Wilhelm Engelmann, pp. 1–536, vol 4.
  • Schmidt, J. E., Lowry, C., Gaudin, A. C. 2018. An optimized rhizobox protocol to visualize root growth and responsiveness to localized nutrients. J. Vis. Exp. (140), e58674.
  • Shi, R., Junker, A., Seiler, C., & Altmann, T. (2018). Phenotyping roots in darkness: disturbance-free root imaging with near infrared illumination. Functional Plant Biology, 45(4), 400-411.
  • Spohn, M., A. Carminati, and Y. Kuzyakov. 2013. Soil zymography–a novel in situ method for mapping distribution of enzyme activity in soil. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 58:275-280.
  • von Felten, S., and B. Schmid. (2008). Complementarity among species in horizontal versus vertical rooting space." Journal of Plant Ecology 1, no. 1 (2008): 33-41.
  • Yao, Q., H. H. Zhu, J. Z. Chen, and P. Christie. 2005. Influence of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus on competition for phosphorus between sweet orange and a leguminous herb. Journal of Plant Nutrition 28:2179-2192.
  • Yee, M. O., et al. 2021. Specialized plant growth chamber designs to study complex rhizosphere interactions. Frontiers in Microbiology, 507.
  • Zheng, Z., Wang, Z., Wang, X., & Liu, D. (2019). Blue light-triggered chemical reactions underlie phosphate deficiency-induced inhibition of root elongation of Arabidopsis seedlings grown in Petri dishes. Molecular Plant, 12(11), 1515-1523.

Rhizobox Racks

Rhizobox Racks & Light Shielding Panels are made to hold Rhizoboxes at an angle - facilitating root growth along the transparent surface - and to keep the root s dark - types matching all rhizobox designs available.


Hydroponic Rootbox

For experiments with flooded plants, roots and soil - rice to natural wetlands - consider the Hydroponic Rootboxes. 


Rhizotron and Root Window Systems

Consider large, mobile Rhizotrons (i.e. ultra-large rhizoboxes) as mesocosms and/or for large-scale greenhouse experimentation. Rhizontrons follow different design and construction principles compared to Rhizoboxes.



Back to Overview - Rhizobox Systems
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