Training Method Lst Hst

LST (Low Stress Training) and HST (High Stress Training) are cultivation techniques breeders and growers use to manipulate plant architecture and canopy structure. LST involves gently bending and securing branches without breaking tissue, commonly used to create horizontal canopies and increase light exposure to lower growth sites. HST encompasses methods like topping, super-cropping, and defoliation—techniques that deliberately injure plant tissue to trigger lateral branching and reshape plant form. Both approaches are valued in breeding programs for studying plant resilience, optimizing yield structure, and selecting for traits like vigor and branch architecture. The choice between methods depends on strain genetics, growth environment, and breeding objectives.

Breeders employ LST and HST to evaluate how cultivars respond to physical stress, identify structural traits suitable for specific growing systems, and develop lines with improved branching patterns and light penetration. These techniques help characterize plant vigor and recovery capacity in breeding selection.