Anyone tried 8/8/8?
Seed & Veg -> run FR @ EOD ~50%, then switch to 100% FR @ EOD for bloom. Or something similar?
Intiatially I thought as long as you break down Pfr into Pr by morning (utilizing 725nm) that you could induce bloom regardless the duration of the night. I've found out that it's not the only factor, though still one of the main contributors. It seems the plant has a "circadian clock" that is adjusted by the environment which includes spectrum but also additionally, temp, nutrients, ect. This "clock" builds up instructions over time and only makes minute changes per day. I'm wondering if you started out 8/8/8 from seed that you'd program this clock to accept 8hr days instead of 12hr days.
Typically the Pfr requires an extended period of darkness to revert back into Pr, but if we can blast enough 725nm to mimic the longer night duration generally required to break down the daily accumulated Pfr, as well as increase intensity of lights to match the 12hr DLI in an 8hr period, then in theory you should be able to finish in 1/3 less time.
I'm curious if we can trick the plant when it comes to the day/night length/cycle by adjusting EOD FR intensity while keeping lights consistently timed at 8hr intervals. Adjust Pfr/Pr ratios to signal seasonal changes while initiating growth under an 8hr day to program "circadian clock" to accept a shorter time duration.
Every 2 human days the plant would undergo 3 plant days, the average dark period and light period would remain at 12/12 but light intensity would increase by 1/3. Maybe a more gradual shift from seed to bloom rather than 50% - 100%. Maybe something like ...
Wk 1 - 50%
Wk 2 - 45%
Wk 3 - 40%
Wk 4 - 40%
Wk 5 - 60%
Wk 6 - 80%
Wk 7 - 80%
Wk 8 - 100%
Wk 9 - 100%
Wk 10 - 100%
Wk 11 - 100%
Wk 12 - 100%
Wk 13 - 100%
Easier to understand:
Photoperiodism | BioNinja
The switch to flowering is a response to the length of light and dark periods in many plants AND Methods used to induce short-day plants to flower out of season
ib.bioninja.com.au
Brain surgery (lol):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4414745/