Every year since 1980, we have conducted watermelon and cantaloupe variety trials at Southwest Purdue Agricultural Center. In 2016, our variety trials include 44 standard seedless watermelons, 12 cantaloupes, 4 mini-sized seedless watermelons, and 5 seeded watermelon varieties. Seeds have already been planted in the greenhouses and our target date for transplanting in the field will be the week of May 9th. The fruit will become ripe around the middle of July. If you are interested in observing how each variety performs during the season, don’t hesitate to come to visit us and witness the plots first hand.
We will continue to present the results of our variety trials, as in the past, at the annual meeting held at the Southwest Purdue Ag Center in late November or early December but don’t miss the opportunity to visualize them during the growing season. In the winter meeting, we will discuss yield and fruit quality (sugar content, flesh firmness, hollow heart etc.) of these varieties. Please watch for the announcement that will be sent out later this year as to the exact date. Below is a list of the varieties that will be in our trails this year. We also want to give special thanks to the seed companies that continue to support our research here at the Southwest Purdue Ag Center this year and in the years past.
To visit, please contact Wenjing Guan at guan40@purdue.edu, or (812)886-0198.
Standard seedless watermelon varieties
Sweet Dawn | Exclamation | Excursion-WDL2413 | Sugar Fresh |
Captivation | Fascination | HSR 4638 | HSR4631 |
Joy Ride | Road Trip | Summer Breeze | 7167 |
7197 | Warrior | Embasy | KB 12106 |
Kb 15010 | Charismatic | Unbridled | Secretariat |
Kingman | Traveler | Wayfarer | Crunchy Red |
Poseidon | Neptune | Premont | Cut Above |
Wolverine | Razorback | UGR 1763-14 | UGR 1762-14 |
Prime | Chubbiness | 3F-4139 | 3F-2186 |
3F-4221 | ORS6064b | ORS6227 | Maxima |
Talca | ORS12.154a | USAW 90020 | Distinction |
Cantaloupe varieties
Infinite Gold | NUN 26181 | NUN 26191 | Sweet East |
Maxi East | Durawest | SV5196MF | ME3743 |
ME3716 | Aphrodite | Athena | IM 183 |
Mini-sized seedless watermelon varieties
Extazy | Serval | Ocelott | Krimson Kiss |
Seeded watermelon varieties
Sentinel | Regency | Santa Matilde | SV8443WL | Royal Sweet |