LIMITED SUPPLIES OF FRESH WATER ON EARTH, COMBINED WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, ARE PLACING EVER-INCREASING CONSTRAINS ON AGRICULTURE. DROUGHT REDUCES GROWTH AND YIELD OF CROPS. DIVERSE APPROACHES HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO BEAR ON THE ESSENTIAL GOAL OF IMPROVING PLANT TOLERANCE TO DROUGHT. INVALUABLE LEADS HAVE ARISEN FROM INVESTIGATIONS OF THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS BY WHICH PLANTS COPE WITH WATER SHORTAGE. OUR RECENT DISCOVERIES HIGHLIGHT A KEY SIGNALING PATHWAY REGULATING MOLECULAR NETWORKS OF DROUGHT RESPONSE. HERE WE FOCUS ON MAIZE AND RICE AIMING AT CROP DROUGHT TOLERANCE IMPROVEMENT.