Defoliation Consultation

looks like you took some off top to increase light below.. and still have a full canopy... be systematic that way you don't take too much off of one stalk etc etc... less is more... leaves power growth. leaves near top receive more energy than leaves below in a quickly decreasing way (inverse square law applies to distance increments) do it for airflow or concern of microbial growth... if a leaf is utterly useless, the plant will shed some of those on its own too. This isn't something that will greatly impact yield.. if anything removing leaves will have a negative impact albeit very small per any 1 leaf. Keep it clean and low risk of microbes as avoiding that elevated risk of thick foliage is worth it in my opinion. Don't do it because you think it improves yield though... at least not directly.. avoiding problems increases average yield over time by eliminating waste (something you may have to throw out at end occasionally).