This present invention relates to isolation and derivation of nucleic acid sequences from monocot plants, preferably rice that are capable of driving and/or regulating a stress induced expression of an operably linked nucleic acid. The present invention also is directed to the use of the isolated nucleic acid to drive and/or regulate a stress-induced expression of an operably linked nucleic acid. The isolated nucleic acid sequence of the present invention as set forth in SEQ ID NO 3 or SEQ ID NO 6 or SEQ ID NO 7 or SEQ ID NO 9 or the complement thereof can be an inducible promoter. The promoters of the invention can be induced by abiotic stress such as water, cold, heat and/or salinity or a biotic stress such as by a virus, bacteria, or fungi.