Watermelon Industry An Overview of the Watermelon Industry in Georgia

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Watermelon IndustryAn Overview of the Watermelon
Industry in Georgia
Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum
Office Dr. Frank Flanders and Adrienne
Gentry August 2006
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Objectives

• Students will be able to
• Outline the importance of the watermelon industry
  in Georgia.
• Name four watermelon varieties.
• Name the top three watermelon producing states.
• Discuss seedless watermelons.
• Rank the watermelon industry compared to other
  Georgia agricultural commodities.

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Why is the watermelon industry important?
Watermelons are delicious and nutritious and are
a summer tradition. By weight, watermelon is
the most-consumed melon in the U.S., followed by
cantaloupe and honeydew. Georgia ranks fourth
nationally in total value from watermelon
production.
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Watermelon Products

• Simple slices
• Salsa
• Salad dressings
• Even muffins
• Used as decorations

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Watermelon

• Watermelon's botanical name is Citrullus lanatus
  of the botanical family Curcurbitaceae. It is a
  cousin to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.
• Watermelons are "vine crops" with spreading
  growth habits the crops of this family prefer hot
  and humid weather as is found in the southern
  United States.
• Watermelons need an average of 4 months to
  mature, from 80 to 120 days.  A loose, sandy loam
  soil is preferred.
• The watermelon is comprised of about 90 water,
  approximately 4 gallons for a forty pound melon.
  Water supply is critical during the growth and
  development of the plant and fruit.  Water
  shortages will cause noticeable gaps in
  production with a reduction in leaf area and
  overall yield.

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Watermelon Varieties

• About 200-300 varieties are grown in the U.S. and
  Mexico, although there are about 50 varieties
  that are very popular. The following are the four
  varieties you will most likely see at your local
  store.

Picnic Crimson Sweet Jubilee Allsweet
SeedlessTriploid Hybrid
Mini-WatermelonYellow Flesh Red Flesh
Yellow Flesh Seeded Seedless
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Seedless Watermelons

• How are seedless watermelons made? Where does a
  plant without a seed come from? The answer is in
  the number of chromosomes. A normal watermelon
  plants chromosomes are doubled by the use of the
  chemical colchicine. Doubling a normal (diploid)
  watermelon results in a tetraploid plant (one
  having four sets of chromosomes). When the
  tetraploid plant is bred back, or pollinated, by
  a diploid or normal plant, the resulting seed
  produces a triploid plant. The seeds/plants have
  three chromosomes and cannot reproduce. Seed of
  seedless varieties are available from most major
  seed companies.

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Georgias Commodity Value
Item Rank by sale Sales (1000) Percent of total sales
Poultry and eggs 1 2,780,214 56.6
Vegetables, melons (watermelons), and potatoes 2 383,556 7.8
Cotton and cotton seed 3 318,013 6.5
Nursery, greenhouse, floriculture 4 315,324 6.4
Other crops and hay 5 246,936 5
Cattle and calves 6 240,070 4.9
Milk and other dairy products from cows 7 212,720 4.3
Fruits, tree nuts and berries 8 122,151 2.5
Grains, oilseeds, dry beans, and dry peas 9 102,464 2.1
Tobacco 10 89,058 1.8
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US Watermelon Production
State Pounds Produced Acres
Harvested 1. Florida 800,000
25,000 2. California 688,500
13,500 3. Texas 605,000
27,500 4. Georgia 379,500
23,000 5. Arizona 294,400
6,400
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Interesting Facts

• The first recorded watermelon harvest occurred
  nearly 5,000 years ago in Egypt.
• Over 1,200 varieties of watermelons are grown
  worldwide in 96 countries.
• Watermelon is about 90 water.
• Cordele, Georgia claims to be the "Watermelon
  Capital of the World" because so many melons are
  grown in the area and travel through the State
  Farmers' Market there.

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Interesting Facts

• Watermelon has no fat or cholesterol, is an
  excellent source of vitamins A, B6 and C, and
  contains fiber, potassium, lycopene.
• Early explorers used watermelons as canteens.

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Assessment

• 1. Name four watermelon varieties.
• 2. What is the scientific name for watermelons?
• 3. Name three of the top producing watermelon
  states.
• 4. How many varieties of watermelons are grown
  in the United States and Mexico?
• A. 1200-1300 B. 200-300 C. 500-600
  D. 50-60
• 5. Georgia ranks __________ in the US in total
  value from watermelon production.
• A. First B. Tenth C. Fourth D.
  Sixth
• 6. What kind of weather do watermelons prefer?
• 7. How long do watermelons need to mature?
• 8. The watermelon is comprised of about
  __________ percent water.
• A. 15 B. 70 C. 60 D. 90
• 9. A shortage in what would be detrimental to a
  watermelon crop?
• 10. Where does watermelon production fall in the
  Georgia commodity value list?
• A. 2nd B. 7th C. 8th D. 3rd

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Quiz Key

• 1. Picnic, Jubilee, Crimson Sweet, Allsweet,
  Seedless, Triploid Hybrid, Ice Box, Yellow Flesh,
  Mini-Watermelon, Red Flesh, Yellow Flesh.
• 2. Citrullus lanatus
• 3. Texas, Arizona, Georgia, California, Florida
• 4. B. 200-300
• 5. C. Fourth
• 6. Hot and humid weather
• 7. Four months
• 8. D. 90
• 9. Water
• 10. A. 2nd

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References

• http//www.watermelon.org/watermelon_funfacts.asp
• http//www.uga.edu/vegetable/watermelon.html