Characteristics of Watermelon Pollenizer Cultivars for Use in Triploid Production

Abstract

Due to the increasing popularity of seedless watermelons [Citrullus lanatus(Thumb.) Matsum. & Nakai] and decreasing sales of seeded watermelons, much of the U.S. production has shifted from seeded to seedless watermelons. To achieve successful fruit set in trip-loid watermelon, a diploid watermelon cultivar must be planted as a pollen source. The characteristics of four diploid cultivars were compared with determine how they may perform as pollenizers. Numbers of male flowers produced, degree of fruit set, and fruit weight were compared. All cultivars began flowering over a period of 7 days and all were still flowering when sampling was terminated at 64 days after field transplanting. The cv. ‘SP-1’ consistently had higher numbers of male flowers than did cvs. ‘Companion’, ‘Jenny’, or ‘Mickylee’ through most of the season. ‘SP-1’ set the most fruit while ‘Companion’ set the least. ‘Mickylee’ had the largest melons and ‘SP-1’ the smallest. All cultivars were in peak male flower production during triploid fruit set and all would be expected to produce adequate seedless watermelon yields.