Nonlinear distributed sensing of light patterns leads to perceptual distortions in plants.

Decentralized plant light sensing causes perceptual distortions, with seedlings responding to vectorial signals rather than physical light sums, leading to growth deviations.

• Why it matters: Understanding how plants interpret complex light environments is crucial for revealing fundamental mechanisms of decentralized sensory processing and adaptive growth, filling a knowledge gap in plant biology.
• What they did: The study developed a geometric model based on local, nonlinear light sensing and vectorial integration, validated through experiments with unilateral, bilateral, and out-of-plane illumination on sunflower seedlings.
• The result: Findings show seedlings respond to the combined vector signals, causing perceptual illusions and growth deviations, and demonstrate that opposing cues can cancel out, advancing our understanding of decentralized sensory integration.