I have been continuously growing for around 5 years now. First few grows I didn't really defoliate and things went OK. I then started to defoliate every grow. My grows haven't improved as much as I would have liked taking my 5 years experience into consideration. I occasionally get 1grm per watt but not very often, maybe I am just not a great grower, some of my grows have been quite bad.
I have tried most defoliation technique's. Complete strip at 3 weeks, handful of leaves every few days, and last grow or 2 the Kyle Kushman technique, etc etc.
Seen many topics on side by side defoliation vs non defoliation but the topics all seem to cut short and not finish.
I am often tempted not to defoliate (just lollipop) but all I can see at 2 weeks into flower is a sea of leaves some as big as my head and I can't hold myself back.
Any conclusive evidence (non scientific just experienced growers real life results with clones) that defoliation helps or hinders.