Elnaz Ebrahimi, assistant teaching professor of agronomy, explains water movement in soil through smart rhizoboxes to students enrolled in Agron 5940 during summer 2025. Image courtesy of Iowa State University.
For the past two years, Elnaz Ebrahimi has been improving student learning with smart rhizoboxes, transparent containers used to study plant growth.
Rhizoboxes are equipped with soil sensors and high-resolution cameras that provide insight on the root and shoot function, enhancing the understanding of plant physiology, nutrient uptake and plant analysis.
Ebrahimi, assistant teaching professor of agronomy, saw a need to introduce students to this technology and used funding from her participation in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Innovation and Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellows program to purchase rhizoboxes for class use.
“I designed this project to bring internet of things (IoT) devices into the agronomy teaching greenhouse, turning a corner into a smart learning space where students can observe and manage environmental conditions in real-time,” Ebrahimi said. “My goal is to strengthen understanding of plant–soil interactions while preparing students to work with sensors and precision agriculture tools in real-world systems.”
The project began in July of 2024. Ebrahimi has incorporated the boxes into a crop physiology teaching session in the Agronomy 5940 course, during which more than 30 graduate students used the software for data collection and sensor readings. This implementation has led to high interest from students.
Allison Lynch, a senior in agronomy, has been involved with the smart rhizoboxes since the spring of 2024 and is using this experience for her Honors capstone project.
Lynch’s project focuses on intercropping corn and soybeans, and she has used the smart rhizoboxes to conduct research and test variables. Last November, she competed at the 2025 American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America (ASA/CSSA/SSA) national conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. She placed third in the cropping division with her research presentation.
“Professor Ebrahimi has always pushed me to try new things, and this conference was one of them,” Lynch said. “I went from knowing very little about research to understanding various concepts in agronomy research, and I have her to thank for that.”
Joao Freiria, a senior in agronomy, is using the rhizoboxes for an independent study research project.
“For my future career in agronomy, this research is valuable because rooting depth directly affects crop management decisions, irrigation strategies and soil conservation practices,” Freiria said. “This experience has helped me think more critically about how plants function as whole systems and has strengthened my understanding of plant physiology and root–soil interactions.”
“I hope students leave with a better understanding of how sensors work, are more comfortable with agricultural technology, have practical skills in data handling and a curiosity about soil-plant-technology interactions, even in small spaces,” Ebrahimi said.
She is pleased with how the rhizoboxes have enhanced students’ learning and looks forward to continuing to refine the devices. She wants to upgrade the sensors, including those that measure soil pH, electrical conductivity and temperature, and expand the system. Exploring cross-disciplinary courses and collaborating with the industry to support research projects and future grant proposals are other goals.
“Participation in the IEFF program gave me the support, visibility and courage to bring smart technologies into undergraduate and graduate learning,” Ebrahimi said. “It helped me prototype a teaching-first version of the rhizobox system and involve students directly in sensor calibration, data collection and analysis, which are experiences they wouldn’t typically get in standard courses.”
Read more from Iowa State University here.