Super cropping

Hi guys how's it goin? Found and interesting article regarding salvia divinorum recently that desribed the hormonal changes that happen with supercropping ( I think). The guy describes topping( calls it pinching), and I assume this hormonal change happens with supercropping. It seems as though the temporary fault in the stems stops the IAA being produced( or at the least impeding its action on the rest of the plant) and therefore side branches have a boost as they are not being inhibited by this hormone.

Anyone have any thoughts on this ? I am by no means an expert but this seems correct.

This is the original info I found:
"Pinching — Pinching is a method to promote bushiness and outward growth in your plants instead of growing too tall. At the tip of each branch, there is a section called the apical meristem. This is where all the new growth comes from and is responsible for regulating a plant hormone called indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). This hormone promotes the growth of the main stem and inhibits sideways growth from nodes along the stem. If this hormone weren’t present in the plant, it would grow outwards instead of upwards, so it follows that if you remove the apical meristem, this hormone will no longer be produced and your plant will bush out instead of grow tall."

Also as this apical meristem is located in both root and shoot tips, would it follow that roots air pruned in an airpot lose their ability to produce IAA and this is why there is such bushy vigorous grow from airpots?

If this is all true would it be possible to possible to significantly reduce height while keeping yields the same? Food for thought haha.

Anyway I gotta go blaze one guys take care,
Chickenmarleys

Gotta scratch the comment about the airpots as the root apical meristem regulates the hormone of future root development and this is obviously not ideal haha.

Chickenmarleys

I find any sort of training, doesn't even have to be as extreme as super-cropping where you actually damage the stem, triggers these responses and brings out more vigorous growth. I recently LST'd plant that I'd let go and was going to be too high for my veg cabinet, bent the main stem/top at almost 90 degrees and held/forced it there with twist ties. That in itself produced basically the same results I get from super-cropping. I train (LST, super-crop, pinch/FIM) my plants early, like 3rd/4th node I start and it seems to me watching them over time that any sort stress (light stress of course early on) generates additional and more vigorous growth and eventually pays out in yield. Interesting thought on the air pot factor but imo wouldn't apply. I actually prefer the fabric pots, having that airflow to the roots made a huge difference when I switched to them. Saw a recent post where a member did a side-by-side with an airpot and fabric pot, the fabric pot root system was larger/thicker, like double the airpot root system. I swear by those fabric pots and won't be using anything else until I see some new technology to try, they're cheaper, re-usable to a point and work fantastic. I use them now from 1gal to 5gal throughout the grow, usually transplant from 1gal to 3gal, then if I have the time and space, 5 gal. Highly recommended. Along with training these have boosted my yields and plant vigour significantly.