Plant growth is influenced by the integration of diverse endogenous and environmental signals. Abscisic acid (ABA) has been shown to regulate many aspects of plant growth in response to unfavorable abiotic stresses, allowing the plant to cope with and survive in adverse conditions. Here, we summarize the data concerning the role of ABA in rice plants grown under conditions of chilling, ozone fumigation, cadmium stress, and salinity. Evidence is provided to show that the tolerance of rice plants to abiotic stresses is related to ABA accumulation.