LST Training speeding up autoflower growth cycle?

[ganjagunman]

Just wondering what people think to this.

I have 5 autoflower plants, all are 6 weeks old today. They are

2 x Afghan Kush Auto
1 x Sugar Mango Ryder Auto
1 x Northern Lights x Big Bud
1 x Cheese Candy

Now one of the Afghans and one of the Sugar Mangos has been LST'd, bare in mind only LST, not been topped or anything else other than a couple of trims to the fan leaves to keep them tidy.

Now out of the 5 plants something odd has happened. The 2 LST victims are much further ahead in growth stage than the other 3 that have been left to grow naturally. The Afghan in particular is covered in crystals and stickyness, where as the one that has been left to grow naturally has only just started increasing its flower size, no crystals or stickyness on the plant at all.

My theory with this is that the general rule is people believe LST'd and any form of stressful training to an autoflower will slow it down, stunt it, cost you final yield etc but im slowly believing a lot of the bad press with autoflowers are simply myths. Myself and Loki on here have done very well with Autoflowers and if you just look at this picture of the Afghan LST at 42 days/6 weeks old, it looks how the last one I grew did at 56 days when it comes to flower production, plus how sticky and frosted it looks.

Ive got another Afghan which is only a baby, ive just topped that this morning at its 5th node, Ill then top the flowers that grow from the middle of the branches once its pinned down in the 4 way LST method and then leave it to finish itself.

I love this Afghan Kush, Im actually gonna use an ounce of it plus the trim i think to make some hash come harvest time

[MrG]

The clue is in the name mate, LOW.stress.training
It don't stress the plant it opens her out to the light. Simples.

[ganjagunman]

I know mate, but ive never seen an auto yet that ive grown or friends have grown this far ahead at 42 days its crazy, theres gotta be more to it than the fact its just opened up to receive light better.. hmm

[MrG]

They are getting better and quicker, my la bella is at the same stage if not further on and around same age, 12/12 under a dual 400 too.

[ganjagunman]

Can't wait to get this NFT running with 10 of the buggers in it haha

[fusioncode]

mine are like that after a month mate in soil. Haven't done any LST, i just believe that because many auto flowers have been cross bred over and over again, so every plant behaves more unique. and and very different from each other. so what iv read anyway, maybe someone else will shed some light on it