The disclosure provides a new and distinct watermelon variety NUN 11602 WMW as well as seeds and plants and fruits thereof. NUN 11602 WMW is a diploid, mini sugar baby watermelon variety with a round small fruit type, comprising resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. s.p niveum Race 1.

The application relates to the field of plant breeding, in particular watermelon breeding. Provided are bush type, triploid watermelon plants (and seeds from which these plants can be grown) and seedless watermelon fruits produced by these plants. Also provided are bush type pollenizer plants and bush type tetraploid plants and methods for producing triploid hybrids having a bush growth type, as well as methods for producing seedless watermelon fruits of high quality.

The present invention is directed to seedless fruit producing watermelon plants. The present invention also comprises methods for production of said plants and methods for producing seedless watermelon fruits.

The disclosure provides a new and distinct watermelon variety NUN 31609 WMW, as well as seeds and plants and fruits thereof. NUN 31609 WMW is a seedless, crimson sweet type triploid watermelon variety, comprising resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f sp. niveum Race 1, and Colletotrichum orbiculare Race 1.

The present invention is directed to a gene which, when mutated, results in presence of many male flowers and absence of female flowers in watermelon. Plants comprising mutant alleles of this gene are useful as pollenizers in the production of triploid, seedless watermelon fruits.

The present disclosure concerns triploid hybrid watermelon plants characterized by a tolerance to powdery mildew (PM) and capable of producing seedless fruits with a total soluble solid (TSS) in the range of 10% to 13%, and a red fruit flesh. In some embodiments, the triploid plants are resistant to at least one of PM1 and PM2 races. The present disclosure also concerns seeds of said triploid watermelon plant, and any progeny of such plant. Further provided by the present disclosure is a diploid watermelon line having tolerance to PM and being capable of pollinating a tetraploid watermelon to produce a triploid hybrid, as well as the tetraploid watermelon and methods of producing said triploid plant from said diploid and tetraploid plants.

A watermelon plant that produces fruit having (i) ultra-firm flesh and/or liquid-retaining flesh and (ii) soluble solids of at least about 6 brix.

The present invention relates to the dual, independent cistron expression system in a single vector for the production of protein of interest proteins and peptides expressed as insoluble inclusion bodies formed in the bacteria E. coli. The present invention also provides the process for the expression of protein of interest using said bicistronic vector.

The present disclosure provides for unique watermelon plants with a desired sex expression phenotype and their progeny. Such plants may comprise an introgressed QTL associated with a desired sex expression phenotype. In certain aspects, compositions, including distinct polymorphic molecular markers, and methods for producing, breeding, identifying, selecting, and the like of plants or germplasm with a desired sex expression phenotype are provided.

The present invention relates to novel watermelon plants displaying an increased number of male flowers. The present invention also relates to seeds and parts of said plants, for example fruits. The present invention further relates to methods of making and using such seeds and plants. The present invention also relates to novel genetic determinants associated with an increased number of male flowers and to molecular markers linked to said novel genetic determinants.