Greenhouse observations of plant herbivore interactions on Lepidium draba to test effects of ontogenic variability

Data were collected from an experimental greenhouse study in which Lepidium draba plants were grown from root cuttings to create plants at different ontogenic stages. Plants were arranged in mixed-age and single-age stands and exposed to the Lepidopteran herbivore, diamondback moth caterpillars. The success (biomass gain and surivival) of herbivores, the amount of feeding, and the growth of plants were recorded as responses to ontogenic stage. In addition, glucosinolates (a group of secondary metabolites known to act as defenses against herbivores) were quantified on plants of differing ontogenic stage.