The present invention relates to a method for conferring tolerance to salt stress and drought stress in a monocot plant including transforming the monocot plant with an expression cassette comprising at least one ABRC unit, a minimal promoter, and a DNA molecule that increases tolerance to salt stress and drought stress in plants, wherein the at least one ABRC unit, the minimal promoter, and a DNA molecule are operably linked together to permit expression of the DNA molecule. The present invention also relates to a transgenic monocot plant transformed with a DNA molecule that increases tolerance to salt stress and drought stress operably linked to at least one ABRC unit and a minimal promoter.