The hybrid plant edible grass (Rumex patientia L. × Rumex tianschanicus A. LOS), a member of the Rumex genus, presents a novel food source with a protein content of approximately 30–40%. By incorporating non-traditional feed sources, such as edible grass leaf powder (EGLP), into broiler production, costs could be reduced. The experimental subjects of this study were Arbor Acres (AA) broilers. A total of 300 newly hatched broilers were randomly divided into to five groups, with each group consisting of six cages, housing 10 birds per cage. The control group was fed a basal diet composed of maize and soybean meal. In the experimental groups, varying percentages (3%, 6%, 9%, and 12%) of EGLP were substituted for the corn–soybean meal in the basal diet. In the diet, for days 1–21, the corn content was reduced from 1.90% to 8.20%, and the soybean meal content was lowered from 1.50% to 6.00%. Similarly, in the diet, for days 22–42, the corn content was decreased from 1.17% to 7.00%, while the soybean meal content was reduced by 1.50% to 6.00%. The experiment lasted 42 days and was divided into two phases: the brooding phase (days 1 to 21) and the finishing phase (days 22 to 42). The results show that substituting 3% and 6% EGLP for corn and soybean meal significantly increased the average daily gain (ADG) during the brooding period compared to the control group (p < 0.01). Additionally, the group with a 3% substitution rate exhibited a significant increase in the average daily feed intake (ADFI) during the brooding phase (p < 0.01). Throughout the 42-day experiment, substituting 3% and 6% of EGLP for maize and soybean meal did not significantly affect the overall growth performance of broilers (p > 0.05). However, a 6% supplementation notably reduced the feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p < 0.01). Both the 3% (EG3) EGLP and 6% (EG6) EGLP replacement meals significantly enhanced the antioxidant capacity of broiler chickens, as indicated by the increased levels of the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (p < 0.01). Additionally, broilers supplemented with 3–12% showed a marked increase in cecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) compared to the control group (p < 0.01). The 3% EGLP replacement diet also significantly boosted the prevalence of Lactobacillus in the cecum (p < 0.01). Furthermore, after EGLP supplementation, there was a higher abundance of SCFA-metabolizing bacteria, particularly Alistipes and Christensenellaceae_R-7, compared to pre-treatment (p < 0.05). The prevalence of Clostridium was significantly greater in the groups receiving 9% and 12% EGLP (p < 0.05), while Butyrivibrio levels were notably higher after supplementation with 12% EGLP (p < 0.05).

Edible Grass (EG) is a hybrid vegetable variety valued for its high biomass and protein content, garnering significant interest in recent years for its potential in food, feed, and health product applications. However, in subtropical climates, intense light and high temperatures severely affect the growth and development of Edible Grass (EG), leading to substantial reductions in yield and quality. This study was conducted in the subtropical humid monsoon climate zone of Changsha, Hunan, China, comparing two growth conditions: natural light (CK) and shading treatment (ST). High light-aggravated heat damage under CK significantly reduced EG yield and quality (p < 0.05), with severe cases leading to plant death. and could even lead to plant death in severe cases. Specifically, maximum air and leaf temperatures under CK reached 38.85 °C and 38.14 °C, respectively, well exceeding the plant’s optimal growth range. Shading treatment (ST) effectively alleviated this damage, significantly increasing the net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and intercellular CO₂ concentration, while decreasing leaf temperature and transpiration rate (p < 0.001). The analysis of physiological and biochemical indicators indicates that after ST, the activities of SOD, CAT, and POD in the leaves decreased, while the contents of MDA and H₂O₂ were significantly lower compared to the CK group (p < 0.001). The transcriptome sequencing results indicate that a total of 8004 DEGs were identified under shading treatment (ST) relative to natural light (CK), with 3197 genes upregulated and 4807 genes downregulated. Significantly enriched Gene Ontology (GO) terms include ‘cell membrane’, ‘extracellular region’, and ‘protein kinase activity’, while significantly enriched KEGG metabolic pathways include ‘plant hormone signal transduction’, ‘photosynthesis–antenna proteins’, and ‘glutathione metabolism’. Compared to CK, the expression of genes associated with oxidative stress (e.g., CAT1, OXR1, APX, GPX) was significantly downregulated in ST, indicating a relief from light-aggravated heat stress. This transcriptional reprogramming was corroborated by metabolomic data, which showed reduced accumulation of key flavonoid compounds, aligning with the downregulation of their biosynthetic genes as well as genes encoding heat shock proteins (e.g., Hsp40, Hsp70, Hsp90). It indicated that plants switch from a ‘ROS stress–high energy defense’ mode to a ‘low oxidative pressure–resource-saving’ mode. Collectively, ST significantly alleviated the physiological damage of forage grasses under heat stress by modulating the processing of endoplasmic reticulum heat stress proteins, plant hormones, and related genes and metabolic pathways, thereby improving photosynthetic efficiency and yield. The findings provide a theoretical basis for optimizing the cultivation management of EG, particularly in subtropical regions, where shade treatment serves as an effective agronomic strategy to significantly enhance the stress resistance and yield of EG.

Chemical profiling combined with computational analysis highlighted luteolin and chrysoeriol as candidate anti-colorectal cancer (CRC) compounds in Physalis Calyx seu Fructus (PCF) extract, potentially associated with MMP9 and CDK1. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) generated 23 annotated MS entries from PCF extracts, while bioinformatics analysis of Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets revealed 867 CRC-dysregulated genes. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and machine learning prioritized 397 core CRC genes enriched in cell cycle regulation, with CDK1 and MMP9 as top hubs. Network pharmacology mapped PCF-related compounds to 468 CRC targets, identifying 25 overlapping targets with core genes. Molecular docking showed that the putatively annotated compounds luteolin and chrysoeriol exhibited favorable binding to MMP9 and CDK1, respectively. 100-ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulations suggested structural stability for both complexes (RMSD: 2.7-2.8 Å). These findings suggest that luteolin- and chrysoeriol-related features may contribute to the anti-CRC potential of PCF by affecting cell-cycle-associated targets, although further experimental validation is required.