RIT2 and infection: Twenty three ERF genes (either in WT AC, rin, nor, cnr) respond to B. cinerea infection, and eight ERF genes also respond to infection by three fungi investigated; five of these ERF genes (ERF.A1, A4, B12, G2, H9) were not involved in ripening initiation or progression, and the other three (ERF.B2, C1, C6) showed a peak expression at a specific ripening stage; twenty-eight ERF genes could respond to one or more fungi; five of them (ERF.A3, E1, F4, F5, H12) also showed ripening-related expression patterns, and could be recognized as both tomato fruit ripening and fungal resistance regulators.