One of the most unpleasant moments in the process of eating watermelon is the need to remove or spit out numerous bones. Even more problems because of this arise in the preparation of juices, smoothies and other desserts from a giant berry. Fortunately, science does not stand still, and today, with the efforts of breeders, berries have been created that are practically devoid of seeds, which will be discussed in the review.

Did you know? While the Japanese and Americans puzzled over creating a seedless watermelon, the Chinese bred a variety with an increased number of seeds. It turns out that in the Middle Kingdom fried watermelon seeds are very appreciated.

The origin of seedless watermelons

There are two versions of the origin of seedless watermelon. According to one of them, the Japanese geneticist Hitoshi Kihara managed to get such a miracle for the first time about 80 years ago, when none of the inhabitants had heard of gene modifications. Other sources indicate that the Americans “invented” berries without seeds, or, more precisely, breeders from the state of California.This happened at the beginning of this century, that is, in the era of the active use of genetics in breeding work. Whoever owned the palm, seedless berries appeared in the Netherlands and Israel, also famous for the success of breeding, already at the end of the 19th century, and then began to conquer Europe and Asia.

Features of pitted watermelon

The technology for producing such a mutation is complex. So, an ordinary watermelon has two sets of chromosomes, that is, it is a diploid. By treating the seeds of such a plant with a special mutagen, scientists get a tetraploid plant, that is, with four sets of chromosomes. It is easy to calculate how many sets of chromosomes will be obtained by crossing a diploid and a tetraploid, if you understand that the daughter plant in this case will take one row of chromosomes from one parent, and two (from one of each pair) from the other.

Important! All seedless watermelons are hybrids resulting from gene mutations. In the usual way, such plants do not reproduce, that is, from a biological point of view, they are sterile.

Since for normal reduction cell division the number of chromosomes must be even (paired), triploid, that is, having three sets of chromosomes, plants are infertile, and that is why their fruits do not contain seeds. Seedless watermelons are also sometimes called brushless or, based on the number of chromosomes, triploid. However, despite the fact that genetic engineering is used in their breeding, such berries are not genetically modified.Speaking about the lack of seeds in some varieties, you need to understand that this is not entirely true. There are seeds in the berries, but they are very few, they are smaller and have a soft, rudimentary structure, and therefore are practically not felt when biting. If in an ordinary watermelon there are on average about 400 seeds, then in seedless berries this number does not exceed 40. However, under adverse weather conditions, insufficient watering, poor soil, bone diseases in seedless hybrids can become stiff.

Rating of the best grades of seedless watermelon

Today in the world there are many varieties of triploid watermelons, and this number is growing every year. In addition to the lack of seeds, these berries differ from the "standard" in that they are sweeter. In addition, they are better stored and less damaged during transport. True, triploids rarely grow too large, but this property for many consumers can also be regarded as a virtue rather than a disadvantage. Despite the fact that growing triploids is associated with some difficulties, many farmers and homeowners are mastering the cultivation of such an unusual crop.

Did you know? The smallest grade of watermelon grows in South America. It is called Pepquinos, it resembles gooseberries in size and contains so little sugar that it is used not as a fruit, but as a vegetable, a close relative of the cucumber, which it essentially is.

In the ranking of the most successful seedless hybrids suitable for cultivation in the middle lane of the European part of the Russian Federation, the following should be included:

1. Boston F1. High-yielding hybrid of early ripening. Bred by Nunhems (Netherlands). The period between planting and harvesting is up to 68 days. The berries have a regular round shape and large sizes for a triploid - from 5 to 8 kg. The color is saturated green with darker stripes. The taste is excellent, the flesh is bright red, dense, sweet, juicy and crisp, devoid of voids and fibers. The peel is very durable, making the hybrid convenient to transport and store. The bush is distinguished by high growth strength, strong immunity and the ability to easily adapt to various climatic conditions. Another feature is the large leaves that protect the plant from the scorching rays of the sun.
2. Crimson Sweet F1. New from Dutch breeders. It is sold together with the seeds of the most suitable pollinator, which greatly simplifies the cultivation of agricultural technology. The hybrid is considered to be ripe, the ripening time is 65–80 days from the moment of planting. The fruits are very large, the average weight of 7 to 9 kg. The shape of the berry is slightly elongated, the skin color is dark, the stripes are not very contrasting. The pulp is sweet, bright purple, fragrant and juicy. Good indicators of portability and durability.
3. Ecstasy F1. This high-yielding Dutch hybrid (manufacturer - the company "Hazera"), unlike the previous ones, differs in small berries (maximum weight 2 kg). It is usually called late, although in reality, the ripening time of the fruit is only 2-3 weeks longer than that of Boston. Watermelon has the correct round shape and high flavoring characteristics. The peel is light green with contrasting dark stripes. A distinctive feature is the ability to preserve the crop almost until January. The advantages of the hybrid also include good immunity and high productivity even in extreme climates.
4. Red King F1 (King of Hearts F1). Maturing dates are the same as those of Ecstasy, that is, approximately 75–85 days after planting. The shape of the berry is oval, the sizes are average, from 6 to 9 kg. The palatability is magnificent - the flesh is fragrant, juicy, sweet and crisp. A thin skin increases the amount of edible part in the fruits, but at the same time makes them less stubborn and more fragile.
5. Sagas F1. Hybrid from the Dutch company "Hazera". Matures a little longer than Boston, but about a week faster than Ecstasy and the Red King. A distinctive feature is large-fruited. Even under adverse conditions, the berries grow up to 9 kg, and good care provides weight gain up to 11 kg. The shape of the fruit is oval, the skin color is light green in a dark strip, the flesh is red. Sugar content in the range of 12-14%. Suitable for fresh consumption and preservation (pickling), as well as for juice. Preferred growing conditions are film greenhouses.

How to choose a seedless watermelon?

When choosing a seedless watermelon, you should be guided by the standard rules that are relevant for all varieties of this berry. The most unpleasant thing you can face when buying a watermelon is the risk of nitrate poisoning. Less dangerous, but still annoying flaws include immaturity, lack of sweetness and bright aroma. To most likely acquire a tasty and healthy fruit.

Important! It is impossible to distinguish a seedless watermelon from a usual one according to external signs. The only way out is to ask the seller to cut the fetus and make sure the presence or absence of seeds.

Experts recommend adhering to these selection criteria:

1. To acquire watermelons not earlier than the beginning of the season of their ripening in these latitudes.
2. Too big berry is a dubious acquisition. Under climatic conditions characteristic of the middle zone of the Russian Federation and more southern regions, it is almost impossible to grow a giant watermelon without the use of chemical growth stimulants.
3. Among the watermelons of the same variety, you should choose those that are rounder and smaller. With a high probability they are “girls”. Their flesh is juicier and sweeter.
4. A tail should always be present on the berry, it is from it that it is easier to determine whether the fetus was taken after it had completely reached biological maturity. A dry tail is a good indicator, green is a reason to refuse a purchase.
5. The side of the berry that is opposite to the tail should not be green, but yellow or beige. This is a mandatory sign of fetal maturity.
6. The ripeness of the watermelon can be determined by the sound. When tapping the peel, the fetus should make a dull sound; when squeezed, it should lightly crunch.

In addition, an indicator of the quality of a watermelon is the appearance of its pulp. Firstly, it should be bright red, not pale pink, and secondly, it should not have any yellow blotches (a direct sign of the presence of nitrates). The same method makes it possible to distinguish seedless watermelon. Nevertheless, experts do not advise buying cut or even cut fruits.

From a dirty knife and contact with air, the berry is instantly filled with pathogenic microbes that will repeatedly increase its population while the watermelon is brought to the house. Therefore, the type of cut fruit can only be considered as a sample of the products presented by the seller, but you still have to buy it “blindly”.

Important! Seedless watermelons, unlike ordinary ones, cannot reach ripeness after they have been removed from the bush, so it is especially important to buy them fully ripened.

Growing Features

Since triploid watermelons do not exist in nature, their cultivation has features:

1. Triploid seeds have low germination compared to varieties of "natural" origin, and therefore, at the initial stages, they need to create the most favorable conditions - to moisten the soil more, maintain the temperature for seedling germination higher than for ordinary watermelons.
2. Triploid hybrids can be sown in open ground or grown through seedlings, but most farmers prefer the second option, because for germinating the seeds of such a watermelon, the soil at a depth of 10 cm must be warmed up to at least + 21 ° C.
3. Before planting, the seeds should never be soaked.
4. It is necessary to carefully apply fertilizers, especially nitrogen fertilizers, to the bed with triploids, since hybrids genetically have strong growth energy, and therefore, when overfed, they over-ripen and crack. The appearance of voids in the pulp of the berry occurs due to "water stress" - excessive or improper watering.
5. Since the pollen of triploid hybrids is sterile, pollinators must be present in order to set fruit in the vicinity of such plants. Suitable watermelons with seeds, adapted for a specific area. As an additional measure to stimulate pollination, it will be useful if there is a small apiary in the area or nearby.

However, despite the fact that triploid hybrids create difficulties when growing, the seedless watermelon yield is higher than that of diploid ones.

Possible growing problems

In order for seedless hybrids to justify the costs invested in them - both financial and labor - the farmer needs to know some additional nuances that may arise in the process of growing this crop, and be able to correctly respond to possible problems.

Important! On average, for every two seedless plants, there should be one watermelon pollinator.

Climatic conditions

One of the biggest problems that arise when growing watermelons in the middle lane is the lack of heat. Triploids are demanding in this regard. To obtain a full-fledged berry, a plant needs that during the entire growing season the daily temperature indicators should be in the range + 26 ... + 35 ° С, and at night the air should not cool lower than to + 15 ... + 21 ° С. If a deviation from these criteria occurs (the weather is cooler), the development of the bush slows down sharply, and the berry does not have time to ripen before the onset of cold weather.It can be difficult to provide complete and stable heat for three months even in the southern regions, therefore, for the successful cultivation of seedless watermelons, you can use such techniques as:

• use only early and early hybrids that need fewer intensely warm days during the season;
• apply the seedling method of planting the crop (this will reduce the time the plant stays in the open ground by about three weeks);
• to plant plants in protected greenhouses, where during the summer a stable and favorable microclimate will remain;
• to cover the garden bed with warm and dense fabric at sudden temperature changes, especially in the spring, and also at the end of the season;
• plant pollinators two weeks later than a seedless hybrid (such a trick will avoid tying the fruit on the first, usually the weakest due to low temperatures, triploid flowers, due to the lack of necessary pollen);
• remove the first fruits - they usually grow deformed and contain tight bones.

Did you know? In Japan, on the island of Hokkaido, Densuke watermelons are grown with a black skin. The annual yield of such berries is only 10 thousand copies, which determines the very impressive cost of such a miracle - about $ 250 apiece.

Breeding

As already mentioned, the triploid rudimentary seeds are sterile. In warm countries, this artificially derived category of plants propagates vegetatively, for example, root shoots, aerial layers or dividing the bush. However, since watermelon is grown as an annual crop in our area, the only way to grow berries on the site is to purchase ready-made seeds - each time new. Such a product is expensive, but there is no other way to get a seedless watermelon.

Diseases and Pests

Diseases and pests in triploid and diploid watermelons are common. However, for seedless hybrids, the attacks of harmful insects and microorganisms are more dangerous. In this regard, the fight against such problems is best done on a preventive basis.

Among the most common enemies of watermelons it is necessary to name:

The best preventive measures to prevent problems are proper care and compliance with sanitary rules, namely:

• compliance with the recommended planting scheme, preventing thickening of beds;
• use of a clean, sanitized work tool;
• removal of plant debris from the garden after harvesting;
• regular loosening, weeding or mulching of the soil;
• use for watering water warmed up to room temperature (even better - arrangement of a drip irrigation system on a bed);
• timely and dosed fertilizer application;
• strict observance of crop rotation rules (alternating in a certain sequence of planting different crops on the same site).

Seedless watermelon is the product of complex breeding work using genetic engineering. The resulting hybrids retain the taste and aroma of ordinary watermelons and have many additional benefits.Their cultivation in their own area is associated with some difficulties, but if you follow the agrotechnical requirements, you can get a richer crop than when planting the usual varieties with seeds.