Asymmetrical distribution of supports affect pea plants movement and shape: Evidence of quantity discrimination?

The ability to discriminate more items from fewer items is an adaptive and innate cognitive feature of animals. Here, we found that this same capability is present in the plant kingdom. Pisum Sativum L. plants grew in the presence of supports that were distributed either equally (2 vs. 2; i.e., ED)...

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Main Authors: Silvia Guerra, Umberto Castiello, Valentina Simonetti, Bianca Bonato, Koleen McCrink
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322859
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author Silvia Guerra
Umberto Castiello
Valentina Simonetti
Bianca Bonato
Koleen McCrink
author_facet Silvia Guerra
Umberto Castiello
Valentina Simonetti
Bianca Bonato
Koleen McCrink
author_sort Silvia Guerra
collection DOAJ
description The ability to discriminate more items from fewer items is an adaptive and innate cognitive feature of animals. Here, we found that this same capability is present in the plant kingdom. Pisum Sativum L. plants grew in the presence of supports that were distributed either equally (2 vs. 2; i.e., ED) or unequally (1 vs. 3; i.e., UD) on each side of a pot. Results showed that pea plants were able to sense the distribution of items in the environment, and to modulate the morphology and the kinematics of their tendrils on the basis of the support distribution. These findings indicate that processes such as quantity discrimination are present in plants, and are not restricted to the animal kingdom.
format Article
id doaj-art-0c0d04ca4a4b41dbac099c21e20dbbcb
institution Kabale University
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-0c0d04ca4a4b41dbac099c21e20dbbcb2025-08-20T03:25:35ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01205e032285910.1371/journal.pone.0322859Asymmetrical distribution of supports affect pea plants movement and shape: Evidence of quantity discrimination?Silvia GuerraUmberto CastielloValentina SimonettiBianca BonatoKoleen McCrinkThe ability to discriminate more items from fewer items is an adaptive and innate cognitive feature of animals. Here, we found that this same capability is present in the plant kingdom. Pisum Sativum L. plants grew in the presence of supports that were distributed either equally (2 vs. 2; i.e., ED) or unequally (1 vs. 3; i.e., UD) on each side of a pot. Results showed that pea plants were able to sense the distribution of items in the environment, and to modulate the morphology and the kinematics of their tendrils on the basis of the support distribution. These findings indicate that processes such as quantity discrimination are present in plants, and are not restricted to the animal kingdom.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322859
spellingShingle Silvia Guerra
Umberto Castiello
Valentina Simonetti
Bianca Bonato
Koleen McCrink
Asymmetrical distribution of supports affect pea plants movement and shape: Evidence of quantity discrimination?
PLoS ONE
title Asymmetrical distribution of supports affect pea plants movement and shape: Evidence of quantity discrimination?
title_full Asymmetrical distribution of supports affect pea plants movement and shape: Evidence of quantity discrimination?
title_fullStr Asymmetrical distribution of supports affect pea plants movement and shape: Evidence of quantity discrimination?
title_full_unstemmed Asymmetrical distribution of supports affect pea plants movement and shape: Evidence of quantity discrimination?
title_short Asymmetrical distribution of supports affect pea plants movement and shape: Evidence of quantity discrimination?
title_sort asymmetrical distribution of supports affect pea plants movement and shape evidence of quantity discrimination
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322859
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AT biancabonato asymmetricaldistributionofsupportsaffectpeaplantsmovementandshapeevidenceofquantitydiscrimination
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