Polpa Gialla Sunlove F1

Class

Dicotyledons

Division

Angiospermae

Family

Cucurbitaceae

Order

Cucurbitales

Genus

Citrullus

Species

lanatus

Description

An annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Cucurbitaceae botanical family along with cucumbers, melons and pumpkins. With a creeping habit and high branching, it is widely cultivated in open fields or flowerbeds for its water-rich, fresh-tasting and typically sugary peponid fruits. Easy to cultivate, it requires sunny exposures in well-draining soil as well as a temperate climate with hot summers to obtain suitable vegetative growth followed by lush summer flowering and abundant final production.

Variety description

Diploid variety of hybrid watermelon f1 with yellow flesh, seeded and belonging to the category 'midi'. Striped skin of the jubilee type. Early cycle, with a compact and moderately vigorous plant with contained foliage that takes great advantage of grafting. Fine-textured yellow flesh with extraordinary taste but few seeds. Fruit weight is between 3 and 4 kg. The variety when grafted requires the removal of the first fruits to encourage the formation of a sufficient vegetative part.

Curiosities and special features

Watermelon pulp, besides being thirst-quenching, contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

It was mentioned by important Ancient Greek physicians such as Hippocrates and Dioscorides, who praised its curative properties as a diuretic or to alleviate post heatstroke symptoms; Pliny the Elder also described the refreshing effect of watermelon in his work Naturalis historia.

Today, it is eaten fresh in the classic summer slice but also in sorbets, salads, cold cakes, jams, cocktails and popsicles; the skins of some varieties are also used to make candied peels.

Origin and distribution

A species native to southern Africa, where it was used by the indigenous peoples for its ability to store water; various studies have shown that the current species with sweet-fleshed fruit derive from a series of selections and subsequent domestication processes from wild watermelons with hard, insipid or bitter flesh.

The plant has been cultivated since antiquity, as evidenced by an image of the fruit found in an Egyptian tomb around 4000 years ago, and reached India in the 7th century and China in the 10th century. The Moors introduced the watermelon to the Iberian Peninsula in the 13th century and from there it spread throughout southern Europe.

Today, with its many varieties, it is widely cultivated in all regions with a warm temperate climate.

Flower size

The flower is average in size compared to other varieties.

Leaf

The leaves have lobed, palmately tomentose lamina.

Fruit

The fruit is a round peponid, weighing 3 to 4 kg and 15 to 20 cm in diameter and width, characterised by a firm texture. The skin is smooth but not edible. Ripening takes place from early summer to autumn. From a sensory point of view, it has a fruity aroma and a fragrant scent, with an appetising, sweet and sugary flavour, while the taste is strong, fresh and mild; it is not spicy according to the 0-100 SHU scale. The colouring is homogeneous. It is a variety with good organoleptic characteristics, which is characterised by low fibre and pronounced sweetness, representing a fruit of very good quality and overall.

Flowering period

Flowering lasts from early summer to early autumn for a duration of 25 to 50 days.

Leaf colour

Unicoloured leaf blade.

Plant height

The height of the plant varies from 1 to 3 m considering the developed habit.

Lifespan

Annual-cycle plant.

Where to plant

Considering its bearing and final size, it can be grown in beds, open fields.

Stem

The stem is herbaceous and the variety has no thorns.

Flower

The flower is simple, medium-sized, with a bell-shaped corolla and single-coloured petals. It flowers from early summer to early autumn, with a flowering period of between 25 and 50 days. It is attractive to bees and bumblebees.

Growth

Growth is indeterminate with good final production.

Plant habit

The habit is typically creeping.

Branching

Branching is abundant overall; transplanting at a suitable density is recommended.

PH

The ideal cultivation soil pH for watermelon is between 5.5 and 6.8; a neutrality level of 7.0 is not recommended.

Soil preparation

Before the spring transplanting in open fields, dig 20/30 cm deep, removing any weeds, bulky stones and residues of previous crops, then bury organic or chemical fertiliser, which will provide the necessary nutrients in the plant's early stages of development, and with the help of a hoe break up the most compact and coarse clods. In order to improve the drainage of excess water, thus preventing harmful water stagnation, proceed by creating a raised bed of 15/20 cm by ballasting the soil, then carefully level the surface.

During cultivation, work the soil again by hoeing the first 2/3 cm, taking care to remove any weeds adjacent to the crop.

Sun exposure

For proper vegetative growth and abundant flowering followed by excellent fruiting, expose the plant to full sun, sheltered from the wind.

Ideal climate and temperature

The ideal temperature is between 18 and 28 °C for suitable vegetative growth followed by the production of good quality fruit.

Use

Typically appreciated for its fruit as a plant in
Agribusiness

Hardiness

A moderately hardy plant, it requires sunny exposures in well-draining soil free from waterlogging.

Soil

It prefers medium-textured, deep, fresh and well-draining soil with organic matter.

Difficulty

Cultivation is fairly easy, the level of managerial effort required for proper plant development is medium overall; by following a few cultivation tricks regarding exposure, planting density and ideal temperature, you will obtain a high quality production.

Growing tips

Here are some valuable cultivation tips:

Expose the plant to maximum light Avoid over-watering Require abundant regular fertilisation Exposure to direct light Correct pruning Balanced fertilisation

Planting

In the cultivation of watermelon, a correct planting pattern is of primary importance in order to allow a suitable vegetative growth followed by an abundant production level; to this end, we recommend an average density of 0.5 plants per square metre in consideration of the developed habit. We also suggest planting seedlings with intact, white roots on raised beds, avoiding completely sinking the root ball and irrigating immediately after planting without causing water stagnation.

Pruning

It is possible to top the plant above the fourth true leaf to encourage the emission of lateral shoots so as to obtain earlier fruiting close to the axis of the plant. In the case of poor development at the time of the emission of the first female flowers, e.g. due to cold and rain that have hindered vegetative development, it will be necessary to remove the first fruits until a very well developed plant from a vegetative point of view has been obtained.

For harvest pruning, it is important to choose the optimal time, i.e. when the cirrus and the leaf near the point of junction of the fruit are darkened, the bloom on the fruit surface should no longer be present, the sound should be dull when tapped, and the part of the fruit in contact with the ground and the lighter sections of the skin should show the characteristic yellowing.

Propagation

Reproduction is by sowing in containers.

Repotting

It does not need repotting.

Watering

Use rainwater, alternatively from aqueducts or canals with an optimal sub-acid pH, either by hand or using an irrigation system. When transplanting, assist the seedling to ensure it adapts correctly to the new site, keeping it at a constant humidity but without exceeding the frequency and water supply to avoid possible root rot. Then allow the soil to dry out slightly between one watering and the next, while preventing dryness. It is advisable not to water the aerial part of the plant during the afternoon/evening to avoid the spread of phytopathologies, also water after the fruit has been harvested. In the summer period, given the higher temperatures, it will be necessary to distribute more water and, if necessary, irrigate more frequently, while preventing water stagnation.

For sowing, moisten the seed by burying it completely and covering it with a layer of horticultural soil and inert material, then keep the soil wet until the sprout emerges.

Fertilising

During pre-transplant soil preparation, bury organo-mineral fertiliser to provide the nutrients the seedling needs in the very early stages of growth. Subsequently, during the spring-summer period, regularly apply a specific water-soluble fertiliser for horticulture to the soil, to be diluted in the irrigation water according to suitable dosages and frequencies, as indicated on the label of the relevant product purchased. Distribute the fertiliser appropriately in order to produce a highly developed plant even before fruit set.

Pet safety

Ingestion toxicity to pets not known; avoid ingestion of peel and seeds. Consider specific case.

Edibility for humans

Variety with edible fruit flesh.

Toxicity for humans

Ingestion toxicity to humans not known, avoid excessive intake and consider possible intolerances or allergies.

Tip

For watermelon it is essential to achieve good vegetative development before the first female flowers set. If this is not possible, due to the transplanting of too old plants, adverse weather conditions, e.g. cold and wet, the small fruits must be removed until adequate vegetative recovery has been achieved. Very young seedlings with no more than 4-5 true leaves should be transplanted. At the time of transplanting, the roots must have completely enveloped the soil loaf and appear pale, white and not necrotic. Transplanting should be carried out on a raised bed of at least 15-20 cm. The lump should be left out of the soil by at least 3-5 mm. If a drip line or perforated hose is used, this should be kept at a proper distance (10-15 cm) from the plant collar to avoid diseases. Attention must be paid to irrigation management during the ripening phase: it must be stress-free as, as a consequence of any excess or shortage of water, the fruit may produce cracks or partially empty inside.