Genetic map is a linear arrangement of the relative positions of sites in the chromosome or genome based on the recombination frequency between genetic markers. It is the important basis for genetic analysis. Several kinds of software have been designed for genetic mapping, but all these tools require users to write or edit code, making it time-costing and difficult for researchers without programming skills to handle with. Here, MG2C, a new online tool was designed, based on PERL and SVG languages.Users can get a standard genetic map, only by providing the location of genes (or quantitative trait loci) and the length of the chromosome, without writing additional code. The operation interface of MG2C contains three sections: data input, data output and parameters. There are 33 attribute parameters in MG2C, which are further divided into 8 modules. Values of the parameters can be changed according to the users’ requirements. The information submitted by users will be transformed into the genetic map in SVG file, which can be further modified by other image processing tools.MG2C is a user-friendly and time-saving online tool for drawing genetic maps, especially for those without programming skills. The tool has been running smoothly since 2015, and updated to version 2.1. It significantly lowers the technical barriers for the users, and provides great convenience for the researchers.

As a ubiquitous secondary messenger in plant signaling systems, calcium ions (Ca²⁺) play essential roles in plant growth and development. Within the cellular signaling network, the accurate decoding of diverse Ca²⁺ signal is a fundamental molecular event. Calcium-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), identified commonly in plants, are a kind of vital regulatory protein deciphering calcium signals triggered by various developmental and environmental stimuli. This review chiefly introduces Ca²⁺ distribution in plant cells, the classification of Arabidopsis thaliana CDPKs (AtCDPKs), the identification of the Ca²⁺-AtCDPK signal transduction mechanism and AtCDPKs’ functions involved in plant growth regulation and abiotic stress responses. The review presents a comprehensive overview of AtCDPKs and may contribute to the research of CDPKs in other plants.

Photosynthetic carbon converted to sucrose is vital for plant growth. Sucrose acts as a signaling molecule and a primary energy source that coordinates the source and sink development. Alteration in source–sink balance halts the physiological and developmental processes of plants, since plant growth is mostly triggered when the primary assimilates in the source leaf balance with the metabolic needs of the heterotrophic sinks. To measure up with the sink organ’s metabolic needs, the improvement of photosynthetic carbon to synthesis sucrose, its remobilization, and utilization at the sink level becomes imperative. However, environmental cues that influence sucrose balance within these plant organs, limiting positive yield prospects, have also been a rising issue over the past few decades. Thus, this review discusses strategies to improve photosynthetic carbon assimilation, the pathways actively involved in the transport of sucrose from source to sink organs, and their utilization at the sink organ. We further emphasize the impact of various environmental cues on sucrose transport and utilization, and the strategic yield improvement approaches under such conditions.

Calcineurin B-like protein (CBL)-CBL-interacting protein kinase (CIPK) network is one of the vital regulatory mechanisms which decode calcium signals triggered by environmental stresses. Although the complicated regulation mechanisms and some novel functions of CBL-CIPK signaling network in plants need to be further elucidated, numerous advances have been made in its roles involved in the abiotic stresses. This review chiefly introduces the progresses about protein interaction, classification and expression pattern of different CBLs and CIPKs in Arabidopsis thaliana, summarizes the physiological roles of CBL-CIPK pathway while pointing out some new research ideas in the future, and finally presents some unique perspectives for the further study. The review might provide new insights into the functional characterization of CBL-CIPK pathway in Arabidopsis, and contribute to a deeper understanding of CBL-CIPK network in other plants or stresses.