as for darkness and plant growth,
when a plant recieves light the growth hormones react to it and trigger the plant to produce energy and grow foilage, height, fan leaves, etc. when a plant no longer recieves light it foccuses on root growth and development as well as using the energy created during the lighted time period to increase above ground growth.
so with this in mind it is quite feasible that with the roots becoming so much stronger during the extended darkness that they can support the growth of the plant during the longer lighting periods.
also for flowering with extended light cycles, since the plant foccuses on flowering production a 36/12 light cycle could be used because the roots are so well developed, i'm not sure if this will efect the hormones that trigger flowering, typically when they recieve less light they trigger flowering,, not sure if flowering is dependent on a specific amount of less light recieved or if its a certain percentage of less light recieved
this should get real interesting during flowering, i never experimented with this so I'm subscribed
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