Theroot oncogenic loci(rol) C oncogene has been identified as a key player during theplant-Rhizobium rhizogenesinteraction and is considered to confer resistance to plantabiotic stresses, yet the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive. In this study,Arabidopsis plants constitutively overexpressingrolC were produced. Biometric anal-ysis showed thatrolC induced diverse phenotypic modifications, including dwarfism,increased number of stem branches (1.3 times more than WT), weak root growth,early flowering (1.6 days earlier than WT) and premature leaf senescence. In addition,senescence stimulus (exogenous ethylene: 10 or 100μLL1) and 10% (w/v) polyeth-ylene glycol 6000 (PEG) treatments demonstrated thatrolC mediated leaf abscisicacid (ABA) enhancement in Arabidopsis, and this might be involved inrolC-inducedpremature leaf senescence and resistance enhancement to osmotic stress. It is con-cluded thatrolC-induced premature leaf senescence may be involved in an abioticstress escape mechanism in Arabidopsis, which is closely related to the increase ofendogenous ABA levels. These findings provide new insights into the role ofrolCinplant-bacterial interaction and uncover the potential of biotechnological applicationassociated withR. rhizogenes/rolgenes in plant drought defense.