diff --git a/tests/physical_models/crop/test_root_dynamics.py b/tests/physical_models/crop/test_root_dynamics.py
index 7ae9893..25fce00 100644
--- a/tests/physical_models/crop/test_root_dynamics.py
+++ b/tests/physical_models/crop/test_root_dynamics.py
@@ -197,3 +197,55 @@ def test_gradients_tdwi_twrt_root_dynamics_numerical(self):
 
         # in this test, grads is very small
         assert_array_almost_equal(numerical_grad, grads.item(), decimal=3)
+
+
+class TestDiffRootDynamicsRDI:
+    def test_gradients_rdi_twrt_root_dynamics(self):
+        model = get_test_diff_root_model()
+        rdi = torch.nn.Parameter(torch.tensor(0.2, dtype=torch.float32))
+        output = model({"RDI": rdi})
+        twrt = output["TWRT"]
+        loss = twrt.sum()
+
+        assert loss.grad_fn is None
+
+    def test_gradients_rdi_rd_root_dynamics(self):
+        # prepare model input
+        model = get_test_diff_root_model()
+        rdi = torch.nn.Parameter(torch.tensor(0.2, dtype=torch.float32))
+        output = model({"RDI": rdi})
+        rd = output["RD"]
+        loss = rd.sum()
+
+        # this is ∂loss/∂rdi
+        # this is called forward gradient here because it is calculated without backpropagation.
+        grads = torch.autograd.grad(loss, rdi, retain_graph=True)[0]
+
+        assert grads is not None, "Gradients for RDI should not be None"
+
+        rdi.grad = None  # clear any existing gradient
+        loss.backward()
+
+        # this is ∂loss/∂rdi calculated using backpropagation
+        grad_backward = rdi.grad
+
+        assert grad_backward is not None, "Backward gradients for RDI should not be None"
+        assert grad_backward == grads, "Forward and backward gradients for RDI should match"
+
+    def test_gradients_rdi_rd_root_dynamics_numerical(self):
+        rdi = torch.nn.Parameter(torch.tensor(0.2, dtype=torch.float64))
+        output_name = "RD"
+        numerical_grad = calculate_numerical_grad(
+            get_test_diff_root_model, "RDI", rdi.data, output_name
+        )
+
+        model = get_test_diff_root_model()
+        output = model({"RDI": rdi})
+        rd = output[output_name]
+        loss = rd.sum()
+
+        # this is ∂loss/∂rdi, for comparison with numerical gradient
+        grads = torch.autograd.grad(loss, rdi, retain_graph=True)[0]
+
+        # in this test, grads is very small
+        assert_array_almost_equal(numerical_grad, grads.item(), decimal=3)