Watermelon (Citrullus lantatus) belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae which includes squash, pumpkin and cucumber. It is a popular dessert vegetable, with year round availability.
Watermelons vary in shape; from globular to oblong. External rind colour varies from light to dark green and may be solid, striped or marbled. The pulp colour of most commercial varieties is red.
The fruit is generally eaten raw. Watermelon has very high water content (93ml/100g edible portion). It contains carbohydrates (5mg), calcium (8mg), phosphorous (9 mg), ascorbic acid (8 mg) and vitamins (0.64 g) per 100 g of edible portion.
Watermelons need five things to grow and produce fruit: sun, water, bees, nutrients, and a lot of space! They thrive in sandy or sandy loam soil. Give each plant at least 5 feet of space, as their vines spread rapidly. Watermelon can be grown from seed or transplants from a nursery.
Honeybees must pollinate the watermelon blossom for fruit to be produced.
The fruit is grown in most parts of the Country however it’s mostly grown in the following areas.
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Selecting the best watermelon variety is the most important decision made by a farmer. Planting a variety that is not suited for the available market and the particular production situation leads to lower profits or possibly crop failure. In addition to market acceptability, a variety must have acceptable yield, be adapted to the production area and have the highest level of needed pest resistance available.
Light-green and grey-green watermelons are less subject to sunburn injury than dark-green and striped varieties. Resistance to races of Fusarium wilt and anthracnose disease is an important varietal characteristic to consider. Most varieties have varying levels of resistance to one or more races of Fusarium wilt and/or anthracnose. Resistance to race 2 anthracnose disease, the prevailing race, is not available. None of the watermelon varieties are resistant to all races of Fusarium or anthracnose, so these diseases can occur even though a variety is usually referred to as being resistant. No varieties are known to have insect or nematode resistance.
All varieties of watermelon share a distinct mouth-watering, thirst quenching, sugary flesh encased by a solid rind. Some watermelon types have higher sugar content and are sweeter; and some varieties have different colored rind and flesh. Most of us are familiar with the oblong, dark green watermelon with vibrant ruby red pulp, but melons may also be light pink, yellow and even orange.
There are many watermelon varieties all over the world but the major ones in Uganda are:
Features of the sugar baby watermelon variety:
(b) Sukari F1: Medium to early maturity (90 days) hybrid with good fruit setting ability. Fruits are oblong in shape with an average fruit weight of 7-8 kg - some may grow to up to 12 kg. Rind is light green with dark green stripes. Flesh is deep crimson with good granular texture and high sugar content (12-13%). Has good transport and keeping qualities. Yield up to 20-25 tons/acre.
(c) Zuri F1: It takes about 90 days after planting. Round fruits weighing up to 12 kg. Strong rind with an attractive fade resistant dark green colour. Bright red flesh with small seeds. Flesh is crispy, sweet solid and delicious. Has good transport and keeping qualities. Yields up to 25-30 tons/acre.
(d) Galia F1: A very popular green-fleshed hybrid which is in great demand in the export market, especially in Europe. Resistant to powdery mildew. The fruit is round with a small cavity and weighs about 1-1.2 kg. The rind is yellow - orange with medium net, the flesh is light green, very sweet, aromatic and excellent taste. Good shelf life.
(f) Early Scarlet F1: It is early maturing (about 85 days), weighs up to 12 kg and can yield up to 60 tons per acre. It has deep-red flesh and a dark-green striped outer rind.
Watermelons are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, which includes squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, muskmelons and gourds. Individual plants produce both male and female flowers and fruit size varies from 2 to 14 kg, depending on variety. However, seedless varieties will require pollinators.
Watermelon grows as a vine that sends out long runners along the ground.
ROOTS
The watermelon root system formation begins prior to emergence of cotyledons to the soil surface and reaches maximum extension by the time of flowering. Watermelon features a highly branching taproot extending up to 1 m deep into the soil. Some 15, occasionally more, lateral roots branch from the main root.
STEM
The stem is a long, trailing vine reaching, in some seasons, 5 m and more in length, highly branched; forming secondary side shoots which, in turn, branch out. The vines, especially the younger shoots, are covered with long, woolly hairs protecting the plant from overheating.
LEAVES
Watermelon leaves are dark green, with prominent veins. They have three large lobes, each further divided into smaller lobes. Watermelon leaves are heart shaped with three to seven lobes per leaf and are produced on trailing vines.
FLOWERS
Watermelon flowers are yellow, five-petalled flowers about 1 cm in diameter (smaller than some of the other vine fruit). Watermelon vines like squash, pumpkin and cucumber have separate male and female flowers on the same plant. Plants are monoecious with yellow flowers that are approximately 3 cm in diameter.
FRUIT
Fruit shape and appearance are quite varied, ranging from round to cylindrical and a single colour to various striped patterns on the fruit surface.
Watermelon fruit is very large, smooth and oval to round. The skin can be solid green or green striped with yellow. The edible flesh is usually pink with many flat, oval, black seeds throughout. Seedless varieties also exist, as well as types with orange, yellow or white flesh. Small “icebox” watermelons weigh 3 kg to 4 kg and are produced early. They are well suited for local sale and home gardens.
