When Molecular Plant proposed to publish its first issue five years ago,many in the plant biology community questioned the need for another joual.Indeed,establishing a new joual in the field of almost 200 existing inteational titles proves to be a difficult task.However,colleagues around the world were soon impressed with the quality and rapid tuaround in this new joual.The most exciting and successful feature of the Joual was its special issues on current topics in molecular plant sciences that were organized by leading researchers in a particular field.Such themed issues fulfilled the need for educating graduate students and senior researchers alike on emerging areas of plant biology,and at the same time set the tone for top-quality primary research embraced by the Joual.All issues in the first two years were organized as themed issues,making the Joual independent of regular submissions that might target a new joual without a clear understanding of its quality standard.With vigorous review standards,each organizing committee solicited and almost always received the best research manuscripts from their colleagues to form the themed issue.Now Molecular Plant has published more than 20 themed issues that cover a broad spectrum of basic plant biology research.