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Technical suggestion for cultivation

The mini watermelons are the fruit adaptation of Hazera Genetics research to the producers and markets requirements. They are the result of accurate selections of varieties already present in nature, that through crossing among themselves (therefore having no recourse to the genetic engineering) have allowed to get watermelon hybrids capable to produce small sized fruit with excellent organoleptic features (taste, colour, etc.) and therefore practical, convenient, not much cumbersome and easy to be consumed. The technical suggestions hereinafter referred can be considered a useful but not exhaustive guide to get very high qualitative and productive standards. They have been set up for the mini seedless watermelons too. In fact, this kind of product is more demanding as regards to temperatures and irrigation management. However, the suggestions herein contained are valid for the mini watermelons with seeds.

Nursery sowing

1) For the sowing we suggest trays with 84 holes.

2) Set the irrigation so that about 200 cc of water per tray are atomized (it is very important the tray is not moist but only wet).
 
3) Wrap the trays in black plastic. The temperature in the germination chamber should be kept 26-28° C with a relative humidity no more than 80-90%.

4) Leave the trays in the germination chamber for 48-72 hours till the forming of the hypocotyl.

Seedling breeding

1) The night temperature must be lower than the day temperature and, however, not lower than 16°C.

2) The difference between night and day have not to be more than 5-60 C.

3) In the first  10-12 days of growing it is very important that the humidity of the substrate is as continuous as possible. When the substrate is wet and not moist, the seedling “looks for” water while developing a strong root.

4) Seedlings preparation time

1. Winter 45-50 days.
2. Summer 27-30 days.

 

Soil preparation

The watermelon is considered a renewal species. It would be preferable the watermelon did not come back on the same plot before 3-5 years in order to avoid the possibility of attack from root parasites. The watermelon requires deep soil work to be carried out earlier than the transplanting.

Basic manure

Before carrying out the manure it is possible to make the soil analysis in order to check the availability of the mineral elements. We have to remember that a production of 80 t of watermelon take away on the average 260 kg of N, 128 of P2O5 and 290 of K2O. In this stage we advise to bury 500 kg/ha of a ternary fertilizer.

Transplanting

The plant density of the mini watermelons is equivalent to 20,000 plants per hectare. Such a high investment guarantees a better uniformity of size as well as a reduced calibre. As a general rule we can say the higher will be the density, the smaller will be the fruit size. With a density of 20,000 plants/ha we will get fruits with the average weight of 2.5 kg. We advise a distance among the rows of 2m and of 0,5 on the row transplanting two plants per pocket.

In case seedless varieties are grown, it is indispensable to plant in the same plot a variety of watermelon with seeds, acting as pollinator. The ratio pollinator/seedless watermelon should be 1 against 4. We advise to transplant the pollinator on the row (bees work along the row) and to stagger the position on the different rows (as shown in the picture ) in order to get a better field covering, and therefore a more efficient pollination.

The pollinator

The presence of the pollinator is fundamental in case you grow mini seedless watermelons. As a general rule, we should say that any traditional watermelon (therefore, with seeds), can perform this task. We suggest to use Cois ’94 - Hazera Genetics mini watermelon varieties with seeds Polimore and Minipol. In case you use a mini watermelon, we remind you to transplant two plants per pocket. We advise to sow the pollinator (that has a cycle earlier than seedless mini watermelons) a week later, thus favouring the contemporaneity of flowering and a more regular pollination.

Be careful: it is very important that the fruits of the pollinator (with seeds ) have a colour different than the skin, in order to be easily identifiable and distinguishable from the seedless watermelons at the time of harvesting .

The pollination

The use of bees is fundamental for a good pollination. You should place 5-10 beehives per ha when the first male flowers form. It is important that they are distributed evenly on the field and that they are placed according to the prevailing wind direction. You should take off the beehives after the setting of 2-3 fruits per plant.

Fertigation

In general the crop of the watermelon does not require excess supply of water. But its management will be very important in order to get fruits with proper size and flavour. It is necessary to remind that watermelons and mini seedless watermelons needs about  30% of water more. The last irrigation should be carried out 5 days before harvesting. During the stage of  pre-flowering we suggest to use ternary fertilizer such as 12-61 at the dosage of 150 kg/ha divided in 2-3 treatments. In this stage, treatments based on boron (boronethanolamine) are useful.

Stop the feeding till the end of the pollination.

When fruits reach the sizes of a tennis ball, we advise to start again the fertirrigation with the following ratio N:P:K - 1:0,6:1,5 (2 kg of N a day per ha)

Harvesting

The mini watermelons Cois ’94 – Hazera Genetics are characterized by a skin with a very regular thickness (1,5 cm) which gives it a very high resistance to fruit handling that could be piled up also on the normal bins for watermelon without compromising the integrity of the ones placed at the bottom. It is important that the harvesting is carried out in 2-3 detachments. Considering that in a ha could be present in the mean time the striking number of 50,000 – 60,000 fruits, if we could get the detachments after the first one to earn a few dozen of grams, we could increase the yield per ha of quite a lot of quintals!

Post harvesting

The surveys carried out have shown the very long keeping of the mini watermelons Cois’94 – Hazera that, particularly in the case of the mini seedless watermelons, quietly exceeds a month keeping a marketability of 100%.

The information herein contained are not exhaustive and cannot be considered advice, guide or recommendations. The technical service of Cois’94 and Hazera Genetics has put the utmost engagement in preparing this publication. It presents average results only of the trials from Cois’94 S.p.A. – Hazera Genetics which cannot be applied or are not suitable for all the growing conditions ( for ex. climate, soil and water quality , etc.) . However, the term “seedless” indicates the presence of aborted seeds inside the fruits (false seeds or white seeds) and does not exclude the possibility that true seeds may form. We give no warranty both as to yield , performance , marketability , fitness to a particular purpose or other.