[dmforcier]

Don't mistake correlation for causality. For some reason plants that are weak or under stress while very young will rush quickly to set some pods. The fact that it set a pod while small - and the others didn't - is a good indication that it has other problems.

OTOH, that doesn't answer the original question one way or the other. My guess is that, like topping, it won't make a difference to overall yield. But with a short season it may. Still waiting to hear from my contacts.