A nonsynonymous mutation in BhLS, encoding an acyl-CoA N-acyltransferase leads to fruit and seed size variation in wax gourd (Benincasa hispida)

Wax gourd (Benincasa hispida (Thunb.) Cogn., 2n = 2x = 24) is an economically important vegetable crop cultivated widely in many tropical and subtropical regions, including China, India, and Japan. Both fruit and seeds are prized agronomic attributes in wax gourd breeding and production. However, the genetic mechanisms underlying these traits remain largely unexplored. In this study, we observed a strong correlation between fruit size and seed size variation in our mapping population, indicating genetic control by a single gene, BhLS, with large size being dominant over small. Through bulk segregant analysis sequencing and fine mapping with a large F2 population, we precisely located the BhLS gene within a 47.098-kb physical interval on Chromosome 10. Within this interval, only one gene, Bhi10M000649, was identified, showing homology to Arabidopsis HOOKLESS1. A nonsynonymous mutation (G to C) in the second exon of Bhi10M000649 was found to be significantly associated with both fruit and seed size variation in wax gourd. These findings collectively highlight the pleiotropic effect of the BhLS gene in regulating fruit and seed size in wax gourd. Our results offer molecular insights into the variation of fruit and seed size in wax gourd and establish a fundamental framework for breeding wax gourd cultivars with desired traits.