I know you hear about this happening, but it's like anything, I think it'll depend on the genetics of the plant.
Okay, plants do not have a brain as such. chemical reaction within cells I would imagine are what triggers the plant to carry out its cycles of life. One thing a mj plant does when it is nearing the end of it's cycle, as we all know to well, it throws a whole load of energy into the buds to ensure the seed crop is good, strong, viable, etc. they are genetically pre-dispossed to do that. What I cannot get my head round is why a plant that goes past 12 weeks or past it's recommended flowering period would just all of a sudeen produce male sacs and hermie when the plant itself has no conceivable idea that it has not produced seed. I truelly believe this is a trait that exists in plants with possibly a recessive hermaphrodite allele that only shows at certain times when the plant is dying off.
I have and I am sure others have lefts buds and fan leaves on plants to reveg. I never saw any signs of herm (and that particular example I think of was a headband) Other plants do this, the Romulan Timewarp I have just now is throwing out nanners out of calyxes that are swollen to buggery. But then that plant started it's life looking male then decided it wanted to be a girl..classic to herm after a certain period of flower.
If we used the example of plants continuing to receive sunlight and energy in nature, then surely they would all just be throwing out male sacs unless they were farmed....some chance of that happening, haha. Anyway, I just think there are a lot of holes in that theory and just wanted to share my stoned though Deep Blue/Livers joint after a ruby murray and a choco cup cake, thank you very munchingly.
if you let it go for an extended period of flowering (12+ weeks) would it not hermie to try and pollinate itself to continue the genetics?