MYB-type transcription factors play a diverse role in plant development and response to abiotic stress. This study isolated a rice R2R3-type MYB gene, OsMYB2, and functionally characterized its role in tolerance to abiotic stress by generating transgenic rice plants with overexpressing and RNA interference OsMYB2. Expression of OsMYB2 was up-regulated by salt, cold, and dehydration stress. OsMYB2 was localized in the nucleus with transactivation activity. No difference in growth and development between the OsMYB2-overexpressing and wild-type plants was observed under normal growth conditions, but the OsMYB2-overexpressing plants were more tolerant to salt, cold, and dehydration stresses and more sensitive to abscisic acid than wild-type plants. The OsMYB2-overexpressing plants accumulated greater amounts of soluble sugars and proline than wild-type plants under salt stress. Overexpression of OsMYB2 enhanced up-regulation of genes encoding proline synthase and transporters. The OsMYB2-overexpressing plants accumulated less amounts of H(2)O(2) and malondialdehyde. The enhanced activities of antioxidant enzymes, including peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, may underlie the lower H(2)O(2) contents in OsMYB2-overexpressing plants. There was greater up-regulation of stress-related genes, including OsLEA3, OsRab16A, and OsDREB2A, in the OsMYB2-overexpressing plants. Microarray analysis showed that expression of numerous genes involving diverse functions in stress response was altered in the OsMYB2-overexpressing plants. These findings suggest that OsMYB2 encodes a stress-responsive MYB transcription factor that plays a regulatory role in tolerance of rice to salt, cold, and dehydration stress.