Provided is a method for imparting stress tolerance to a plant whereby stress tolerance can be imparted to the plant and thus the growth of the plant can be promoted in an environment with various stresses on the plant. The method for imparting stress tolerance to a plant comprises a step for applying a composition, which is to be used for imparting stress tolerance to the plant, to the plant that is under stressful cultivation conditions with a plant stress ratio of 111-200%. Said composition comprises at least one kind of a cellulose derivative selected from the group consisting of methylcellulose (MC), hydroxymethylcellulose (HMC), ethylcellulose (EC), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), propylcellulose (PC), hydroxypropylcellulose (HPC), hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxyethylmethylcellulose (HEMC), hydroxyethylpropylcellulose (HEPC), methylethylcellulose (MEC), methylpropylcellulose (MPC) and ethylpropylcellulose (EPC), catechin or a derivative thereof and water, wherein the content of the cellulose derivative is 45.0-99.5 wt% relative to the sum of the amounts of the components, excluding water, contained in the composition. Also provided are the composition for imparting stress tolerance to a plant and utilization of the composition.
