Polynomial exponential equations and Zilber's conjecture

Assuming Schanuel’s conjecture, we prove that any polynomial exponential equation in one variable must have a solution that is transcendental over a given finitely generated field. With the help of some recent results in Diophantine geometry, we obtain the result by proving (unconditionally) that certain polynomial exponential equations have only finitely many rational solutions. This answers affirmatively a question of David Marker, who asked, and proved in the case of algebraic coefficients, whether at least the one-variable case of Zilber’s strong exponential-algebraic closedness conjecture can be reduced to Schanuel’s conjecture.