02263naa a2200289 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001902200140006002400390007410000200011324500800013326000090021330000100022252014520023265000220168465000160170665000190172265000210174165000210176265000150178365000230179865000180182165000170183965000240185665300200188077300730190021399852023-02-05       2021    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d  a1559-23167 a10.1080/15592324.2021.19704482DOI1 aSEVERINO, L. S.  aPlants make smart decisions in complex environments.h[electronic resource]  c2021  a14 p.  aThis review proposes that plants make smart decision and encourages scientists to formulate and test hypotheses about plant?s decisions as an option to investigate complex phenomena that are hardly explained through the predominant mechanistic approach. Three physiological processes (seed germination and seedling emergence, abortion of reproductive structures, and regulation of photosynthesis) are discussed to illustrate the plant?s ability to make decisions from three different perspectives. It is proposed that plant scientists could access a rich pool of information by formulating and testing hypothesis on plant?s decisions, even when it is not possible elucidating the full mechanism underpinning the decision. Decisions with a strategic component are discussed for seed germination and seedling emergence, in which the plant depends on limited information for making early decisions that will influence its survival and potential growth. Decisions consistent with an analysis of benefit/cost are illustrated with observations from abortion of reproductive structures. Decisions that search the optimization of complex processes are exemplified with the regulation of photosynthesis. For each type of decision, some draft experiments are suggested as exercise on how this framework could be applied. It is proposed that scientists could make experiments with plant?s decisions adapting methods that were developed for other disciplines.  aAbortion (plants)  aGermination  aPhotosynthesis  aPlant physiology  aResearch methods  aAbsorção  aFisiologia Vegetal  aFotossíntese  aGerminação  aMétodo de Pesquisa  aImagem térmica  tPlant Signaling and Behaviorgv. 16, n. 11, e1970448, p. 1-14, 2021.