Would a defoliated plant respond to photoperiodic cycle? Why?

A defoliated plant (one with all leaves removed) will not respond to the photoperiodic cycle. Here’s why:

• Leaves are the primary light sensors
  Photoreceptors like phytochromes in leaves perceive the duration of light and darkness. Without leaves, the plant lacks the means to detect day length at all

• Leaves produce the floral signal (florigen)
  After sensing the correct photoperiod, leaves synthesize and transport a flowering hormone (florigen) through the phloem to the shoot apex. If leaves are gone, florigen production does not occur

• Even one leaf suffices for response
  Experiments on short-day plants like Xanthium show that removal of all leaves prevents flowering, but leaving just a single leaf under inductive light enables flowering in the whole plant