So you know yourself that the plant can change where it distributes IAA in reaction to stimulus. Yet you don't think light and air flow, two of the most important stimulus for a plant will affect how it distributes IAA?
I've seen other people's larf, who didn't defoliate, I see the buds at the very bottom of my plant and there's a pretty big difference.
Have you tested it yourself or seen anyone run a reliable test?
Air flow is not an important stimulus for plants at all. Co2 concentrations in air yes, air flow no (correct feed ratios and PH with enough light are THE most important)
Light WILL affect how the plant distributes IAA, but only if you MOVE the source of light (it's why plants bend towards the light if far off above/centre)
As before IAA is mostly produced in the apical tip of the plant, the apical tip grows directly towards the light source.
If you move the light source to the sides of the plant evenly then you will change the distribution of IAA to the sides of the plant rather than the main stem tip thus making the side branches/buds act like main branches/buds and giving a better yeild and better development of side branches/buds.
This is the reason why the 'bare vertical bulb' technique works like it does, by manipulating the distribution of IAA by changing the position of the light source.
If you leave your light source directly above the plant and have it shine down on the plants main stem/apical tip and defoliate, all you have done is deprive your plant of leaves it needs to capture said light and have reduced its photosynthesis abilitys, you've done fuck all to manipulate IAA distibution because the plant is the same shape but more importantly the light source is in the same place it was before.
If you want to manipulate the distribution of IAA then you need to either.....
A) Change the shape of the plant so there is no main stem/apical tip in which to concentrate IAA production (SCROG).
Or.....
B) Change the position of the light source evenly to the sides of plant so that IAA production is moved to the sides of the plant thus making side buds develop potentially as big as the main/apical tip bud (vertically hung bulbs).
You comparing your defoliated plants to somebody elses non defoliated plants with a different environment is anecdotal and it doesn't stand the scientific test.
That is the major problem with forums, too much speculation and anecdotes.
Yes I've tested this myself, my last grow shown here was using the 'bare vertical bulb' technique and I was growing main buds the size of 4 pint cartons of milk and 3L bottles of cooking oil.
Yes I know of people doing reliable tests.......
Charles Darwin in 1881.
Peter Boysen-Jensen in 1913.
Frits Went in 1926.
And......
Kenneth V. Thimann PhD was the first man to isolate and determine the chemical structure of IAA and was the worlds leading authority on plant hormones since he wrote the book on the subject called 'Phytohormones' in 1937.
So my mistake, we've known the auxin facts since Thimann's work in the 30's, not the 70's!