10 Top Performing Watermelon Varieties

For American Vegetable Grower’s inaugural presentation of “Variety Specs,”  a feature highlighting top performing varieties from leading seed breeders and distributors, we gathered information on the latest varieties with high yields, a good resistance package, and more — all in a very reader friendly format.

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Our first installment of variety specs focuses on watermelon, and as you will see in the following pages, key information including days to maturity, yield potential, weight, etc. — will be right at your fingertips.

Stay tuned, as each month we will feature a different crop. Coming soon: tomato varieties.

Bijou

Bijou

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  • Company: Golden Valley Seed
  • Shape: Round
  • Weight/length: 3.5 to 4 pounds
  • Seedless/seeded: Seedless
  • Disease resistance/Tolerance: Fusarium 1,2; Anthracnose races 1,3; gummy stem blight; downy mildew
  • Color: Deep red
  • Holding ability in the field: Very good
  • Days to maturity: Medium-early
  • Yield potential: Very high yields
  • Region(s) best suited for production: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Southwestern U.S.
  • Brix level: 13% to 15%
  • Other attributes: Inside flesh is firm and crispy; it is good for individual servings

Goldenvalleyseed.com


Captivation

Captivation

  • Company: Syngenta
  • Shape: Blocky
  • Weight/length: 14 to 17 pounds; 10 to 11 inches in diameter
  • Seedless/seeded: Seedless
  • Disease resistance/Tolerance: Intermediate resistance to Anthracnose caused by caused by Colletotrichum orbiculare race 1, Fusarium wilt
  • Color: Red flesh, deep-green rind, crimson sweet stripe appearance
  • Holding ability in the field: Good
  • Days to maturity: 89
  • Yield potential: High
  • Brix level: 12%

www.syngenta-us.com/seeds/vegetables/


Kingman

Kingman

  • Company: Sakata Seed America
  • Shape: Round/oval
  • Weight/length: 18 to 22 pounds
  • Seedless/seeded: Seedless
  • Color: Light green with medium-green stripes, bright-red flesh
  • Holding ability in the field: Excellent
  • Days to maturity: 85 days from transplant, mid-maturing
  • Yield potential: High
  • Region(s) best suited for production: U.S., Mexico, Canada
  • Other attributes: Crisp and firm flesh, strong vines, great eating quality, 36-count bins

www.sakatavegetables.com


SV0258WA

SV0258WA

  • Company: Rupp Seeds
  • Shape: Oblong
  • Weight/length: 15 to 17 pounds
  • Seedless/seeded: Seedless
  • Color: Dark mottle-striped rind, bright-red flesh
  • Holding ability in the field: Excellent
  • Days to maturity: Approximately 83 days
  • Yield potential: High
  • Region(s) best suited for production: Midwest and Northeast
  • Brix level: Very high
  • Other attributes: 36 to 45 count for bins, strong vine, produces well on weaker soils

www.ruppseeds.com


Citation

Citation

  • Company: Seedway
  • Shape: Round/oval
  • Weight/length: 10 to 14 pounds/60 count
  • Seedless/seeded: Seedless
  • Color: Medium-green rind with dark-green stripes, deep-red flesh
  • Holding ability in the field: Good for very early maturing variety
  • Days to maturity: 76
  • Yield potential: Excellent early yields
  • Brix level: 11% to 11.5%
  • Other attributes: Reliable free-setting for early crops

www.seedway.com


Cut Above

Cut Above

  • Company: Clifton Seed Co.
  • Shape: Round/Oval
  • Weight/length: 15 to 17 pounds
  • Seedless/seeded: Seedless
  • Disease resistance/Tolerance: Intermediate resistance to Fusarium wilt, gummy stem blight
  • Color: Bright-red flesh, medium-green rind with green stripes
  • Holding ability in the field: Excellent
  • Days to maturity: 85
  • Yield potential: High in all field trials and commercial plantings
  • Region(s) best suited for production: Adaptable to all watermelon regions
  • Brix level: High
  • Other attributes: Excellent shipping capabilities

www.cliftonseed.com


Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon

  • Company: Johnny’s Selected Seeds
  • Shape: Oval
  • Weight/length: 8 to 13 pounds
  • Seedless/seeded: Seedless
  • Color: Dark-green rind with small yellow markings (“stars”) and large yellow markings (“moons”), and
  • red flesh
  • Days to maturity: Early to ripen
  • Yield potential: Average of 2 to 3 fruit per plant

www.johnnyseeds.com


Sweet Polly

Sweet Polly

  • Company: Siegers Seed Co.
  • Shape: Oval, blocky
  • Weight/length: 15 to 18
  • Seedless/seeded: Seedless
  • Disease resistance/Tolerance: Intermediate resistance to Anthracntose 1, Fusarium wilt 0-1
  • Color: Bright-red flesh
  • Days to maturity: 88
  • Yield potential: Extremely high
  • Region(s) best suited for production: All
  • Brix level: High
  • Other attributes: Very vigorous vine, great shipper with outstanding internal quality

www.siegers.com


Traveler

Traveler

  • Company: Harris Moran
  • Shape: Blocky
  • Weight/length: 15 to 20 pounds
  • Seedless/seeded: Seedless
  • Disease resistance/Tolerance: High resistance to anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum orbiculare race 1
  • Color: Deep red
  • Holding ability in the field: Excellent
  • Days to maturity: Mid-early
  • Yield potential: High
  • Region(s) best suited for production: Main/hot season slots
  • Brix level: 11% to 12%
  • Other attributes: Has hollow heart tolerances, displays adataptability in adverse conditions, good uniformity

www.harrismoran.com


Triple Treat

Triple Treat

  • Company: Seeds By Design
  • Shape: Round
  • Weight/length: 8 to 10 pounds; 12 to 13 inches in diameter
  • Seedless/seeded: Seedless
  • Color: Red
  • Days to maturity: 70 days from transplanting
  • Brix level: 14%
  • Other attributes: Ice box type

www.seedsbydesign.com

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