The disclosure provides a watermelon variety NUN 31708 WMW as well as seeds and plants and fruits thereof. NUN 31708 is a triploid (seedless) crimson sweet type watermelon variety comprising resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. s.p niveum Race 1 and Colletotrichum lagenarium Race 1.

New watermelon variety designated Red Amber is described. Red Amber is a watermelon variety exhibiting stability and uniformity.

One embodiment relates to seed and plants of inbred watermelon line WTL0089. Another embodiment relates to the plants, seeds and tissue cultures of inbred watermelon line WTL0089, and to methods for producing a watermelon plant produced by crossing such plants with themselves, with another watermelon plant, such as a plant of another genotype, or with vegetatively propagating said plant. Another embodiment further relates to seeds and plants produced by such crossing. Further embodiments relate to parts of such plants, including the fruit and gametes of such plants.

The invention relates to a diploid watermelon having fruit with approximately lower sugar content than common watermelons found in the market place, and plant characteristics favorable for use as a pollenizer for commercial production of seedless watermelons. In addition to reduced sugar, fruit characteristics of the invention include a tough rind, firm flesh, distinct rind color, and small fruit. The watermelon plant of the invention has the characteristics of extended flowering duration, thin leaves, long sprawling vines, and resistance to Fusarium Wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum race 1. The invention combining the above mentioned fruit and plant characteristics can serve the dual purpose of producing reduced sugar watermelon fruit, and pollinating seedless watermelons. This will, in effect, produce reduced sugar watermelons which are beneficial for consumers with type 2 diabetes, as a byproduct of commercial seedless watermelon production making the product more economically feasible.

The invention provides methods for producing seeds in watermelon. In one embodiment methods are provided comprising grafting of a seed parent onto a stress tolerant rootstock, pollinating the seed parent with pollen from a pollen donor, and cultivating the seed parent until seed is formed. In specific embodiments, triploid seeds produced by a method of the invention are rendered conspicuously distinguishable from tetraploid seeds, and thus readily selected manually or by an automated machine. Methods for increasing seed yield and/or quality are also provided.

The invention provides a new and distinct hybrid variety of watermelon, NUN 11603 WMW as well as seeds and plants and fruits thereof.

The invention provides methods for producing seeds in watermelon. In one embodiment methods are provided comprising grafting of a seed parent onto a stress tolerant rootstock, pollinating the seed parent with pollen from a pollen donor, and cultivating the seed parent until seed is formed. In specific embodiments, triploid seeds produced by a method of the invention are rendered conspicuously distinguishable from tetraploid seeds, and thus readily selected manually or by an automated machine. Methods for increasing seed yield and/or quality are also provided.

An enhanced, diploid pollenizer watermelon plant and method used to maximize the yield of triploid seedless watermelons per area. The enhanced pollenizer watermelon plant of the invention is either a hybrid variety, an open-pollinated variety or a synthetic variety, that exhibits the characteristics of small leaves and fruit with a brittle rind that splits when the fruit is overripe or breaks when relatively small physical forces are applied. In one embodiment, the watermelon plant of the invention is also characterized by extended flowering duration, thereby increasing the number of triploid watermelon flowers that are pollinated and set fruit. The method for producing a seedless watermelon fruit, includes the steps of providing a pollenizer diploid watermelon plant, extending the duration of flowering of the pollenizer plant while reducing the number of such plants needed to pollinate the same number of triploid watermelon plants, and maximizing dispersal of the pollenizer watermelon plant throughout the field of triploid watermelon plants.

New watermelon varieties designated Red Garnet, Red Opal, and Red Amber are described. Red Garnet, Red Opal, and Red Amber are watermelon varieties exhibiting stability and uniformity.

The invention relates to a diploid watermelon having fruit with approximately lower sugar content than common watermelons found in the market place, and plant characteristics favorable for use as a pollenizer for commercial production of seedless watermelons. In addition to reduced sugar, fruit characteristics of the invention include a tough rind, firm flesh, distinct rind color, and small fruit. The watermelon plant of the invention has the characteristics of extended flowering duration, thin leaves, long sprawling vines, and resistance to Fusarium Wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum race 1. The invention combining the above mentioned fruit and plant characteristics can serve the dual purpose of producing reduced sugar watermelon fruit, and pollinating seedless watermelons. This will, in effect, produce reduced sugar watermelons which are beneficial for consumers with type 2 diabetes, as a byproduct of commercial seedless watermelon production making the product more economically feasible.