Quote Originally Posted by Xelatoth
I am a biology major currently taking a plant physiology course and I can tell you, at least according to my botanist professor, that plants will not benefit from the extra 6 hours of light in any meaningful way.

Their stomatic gas exchange occurs during the dark period and while they may induce this behavior during constant light anyhow, there is something they can NOT do in 24 hour light:

Their "dark" reactions!!!

A plant has 2 photosystems and both light and dark reactions!

The plant's electron transport chains will be active during light periods to "harvest" the light into chemical energy...

Now, this energy will be stored for use at night!

At night, the plant uses that stored energy for input into the Calivin Cycle!

The Calvin Cycle is the MOST IMPORTANT metabolic pathway in a plant and it finally can convert the chemical energy into useable sugars with the waste byproduct being O2.

Basically, 18/6 is really the only choice
24/0 will allow for a forced Calvin Cycle, but the plant will need to expend MORE ATP and NAD+ to get the same singular glucose molecule... more work for same result = less vigor!

Fo' real.. let us put this to rest as Mother Nature is the best scientist there is!

Peace

The plant's Calivin Cycle will be active during light periods, but its
this is an excellent, educated explanation :thumbsup: ... there will still be some growers that insist they get better results from a 24/0 cycle, but I've tried every conceivable cycle imaginable, and I have never seen any advantage over 18/6 ... as I say to growers that insist on 'experimenting' with everything, " your plants survive your efforts, because they are WEEDS, and they don't thrive BECAUSE of your 'ideas', but, IN SPITE of your 'ideas' " ... when in doubt, 'imitate nature' ...