Fig. 3.
A schematic depiction of the interface and overlapping signaling pathways at the cellular level in tomato plants due to the basal application of Zn + NPK under Alternaria solani stress. To fight off pathogens, defense response triggers a battery of reactions including enhanced ROS production through downstream signaling by RBOHs localized at the plasma membrane, cytosolic MAPKs and others. ROS accumulation (H2O2) will diffuse into the cytosol and activate several plant defense responses including SA signaling and other phytohormones such as GA, JA & ET have a significant role during biotic stress tolerance in a tomato plant. However, ROS-scavenging systems (anti-oxidants) help to finally tune the ROS level. ROS, reactive oxygen species; SA, salicylic acid, GA, Gibberellic acid; JA, Jasmonic acid; ET, Ethylene; MAPKs, mitogen-activated protein kinase.