How many hours of direct sun per day outdoors needed (minimum)?

Is it possible to get any decent bud if, say, you are growing on an apartment porch/balcony that only gets three or four hours of direct sun per day? Or inside a privacy fence that shades your plants for most of the day?

Would autoflower strains do better than regular photoperiod strains in a situation like this?

In 1980s college Horticulture for Morons class, the botany prof told us that almost all vegetable crops needed maximum direct sun for the entire day to perform optimally. So I've assumed the same for cannabis, but also know that most veggie gardens get at least a little shade, since most of us live in areas that have trees and buildings that block sunlight part of the day.

Thanks in advance for any info, guys.

In most garden books, plants that are classified as full sun plants it suggests they get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. A little less would be ok probably but the buds would be less dense

An auto would not work in three hour light a day you would yield next to nothing as far as a photo I don't know I just wouldn't try honestly I would find a better spot

They need at least 5-7 hours of sun to produce a decent harvest but many gorilla growers have made do with shitty shaded grow areas for the sake of privacy. I think its at least worth seeing what you can get in your situation. My backyard doesn't get nearly the amount of light I would like but I still get decent yields.

Check out my current white cookies backyard grow. Been getting about 6-8hrs of direct sun light since my backyard is behind a big hill and green belt. Seems to be doing pretty good.