RL9 encodes a GARP protein, an orthologue of Arabidopsis KANADIs, mainly express in roots, leaves, and flowers and regulates the leaf abaxial cell fate in rice (Yan et al., 2008). SLL1 encodes MYB family transcription factor belonging to the KANADI family. SLL1 protein deficiency leads to defective programmed cell death of abaxial mesophyll cells and suppresses the development of abaxial features. By contrast, enhanced SLL1 expression stimulates phloem development on the abaxial side and suppresses bulliform cell and sclerenchyma development on the adaxial side (Zhang et al., 2009). SLL1 specifically regulates the programmed cell death (PCD) in abaxial sclerenchyma development (Zhang et al., 2009). RL9 and SLL1, both are same gene.