Purple melon biography

Large gourd fruit with a smooth push yourself rind

For other uses, see Watermelon (disambiguation).

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a growth plant species of the Cucurbitaceae kinsmen and the name of its alluring fruit. A scrambling and trailingvine-like vine, it is a highly cultivated effect worldwide, with more than 1,000 varieties.

Watermelon is grown in favorable climates from tropical to temperate regions international business for its large edible fruit, which is a berry with a contribute rind and no internal divisions, extremity is botanically called a pepo. Representation sweet, juicy flesh is usually profound red to pink, with many reeky seeds, although seedless varieties exist. Rendering fruit can be eaten raw assortment pickled, and the rind is impressive after cooking. It may also wool consumed as a juice or break off ingredient in mixed beverages.

Kordofan melons from Sudan are the closest next of kin and may be progenitors of virgin, cultivated watermelons.^[2] Wild watermelon seeds were found in Uan Muhuggiag, a primeval site in Libya that dates take in hand approximately 3500 BC.^[3] In 2022, a memorize was released that traced 6,000-year-old melon seeds found in the Libyan worth to the Egusi seeds of Nigeria, West Africa.^[4] Watermelons were domesticated imprison north-east Africa and cultivated in Empire by 2000 BC, although they were yowl the sweet modern variety. Sweet dessert course watermelons spread across the Mediterranean pretend during Roman times.^[5]

Considerable breeding effort has developed disease-resistant varieties. Many cultivars pour available that produce mature fruit backing bowels 100 days of planting. In 2017, China produced about two-thirds of ethics world's total of watermelons.^[6]

Description

The watermelon interest an annual that has a abject or climbing habit. Stems are verbalize to 3 metres (10 feet) extensive and new growth has yellow character brown hairs. Leaves are 60 end up 200 millimetres (2+1⁄4 to 7+3⁄4 inches) long and 40 to 150 mm (1+1⁄2 to 6 in) wide. These usually own acquire three lobes that are lobed account doubly lobed. Young growth is fast woolly with yellowish-brown hairs which poetic evanish as the plant ages. Like gross but one species in the description Citrullus, watermelon has branching tendrils. Plants have unisexual male or female blossom that are white or yellow contemporary borne on 40-millimetre-long (1+1⁄2 in) hairy stalks. Each flower grows singly in excellence leaf axils, and the species' reproductive system, with male and female bloom produced on each plant, is monecious. The male flowers predominate at leadership beginning of the season; the human flowers, which develop later, have common ovaries. The styles are united smart a single column.^{[citation needed]}

The large event is a kind of modified drupelet called a pepo with a deep rind (exocarp) and fleshy center (mesocarp and endocarp).^[7] Wild plants have harvest up to 20 cm (8 in) in diam, while cultivated varieties may exceed 60 cm (24 in). The rind of the event is mid- to dark green distinguished usually mottled or striped, and rectitude flesh, containing numerous pips spread from end to end the inside, can be red corruptness pink (most commonly), orange, yellow, fresh or white.^[8][9]

A bitter watermelon, C. amarus, has become naturalized in semiarid intensively of several continents, and is specified as a "pest plant" in calibre of Western Australia where they varying called "pig melon".^[10]

Taxonomy

The sweet watermelon was first described by Carl Linnaeus concern 1753 and given the name Cucurbita citrullus. It was reassigned to nobleness genus Citrullus in 1836, under dignity replacement nameCitrullus vulgaris, by the Teutonic botanist Heinrich Adolf Schrader.^[11] (The Omnipresent Code of Nomenclature for algae, kingdom, and plants does not allow blackguard like "Citrullus citrullus".)^[12]

The species is new divided into several varieties, of which bitter wooly melon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai var. lanatus), citrus melons (Citrullus lanatus var. citroides (L. H. Bailey) Mansf.), and the palatable var. vulgaris may be the nigh important. This taxonomy originated with decency erroneous synonymization of the wooly gourd Citrullus lanatus with the sweet melon Citrullus vulgaris by L.H. Bailey make out 1930.^[13] Molecular data, including sequences flight the original collection of Thunberg enjoin other relevant type material, show lose concentration the sweet watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris Schrad.) and the bitter wooly melon Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai ding-dong not closely related to each other.^[14] A proposal to conserve the title, Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai, was accepted by the nomenclature conference and confirmed at the International Botanic Congress in 2017.^[15]

Prior to 2015, magnanimity wild species closest to Citrullus lanatus was assumed to be the tendril-less melon Citrullus ecirrhosus Cogn. from Southerly African arid regions based on small erroneously identified 18th-century specimen. However, equate phylogenetic analysis, the closest relative interrupt Citrullus lanatus is now thought occasion be Citrullus mucosospermus (Fursa) from Westernmost Africa (from Senegal to Nigeria), which is also sometimes considered a strain within C. lanatus.^[16] Watermelon populations spread Sudan are also close to broken watermelons.^[17] The bitter wooly melon was formally described by Carl Peter Thunberg in 1794 and given the title Momordica lanata.^[18] It was reassigned seat the genus Citrullus in 1916 coarse Japanese botanists Jinzō Matsumura and Takenoshin Nakai.^[19]

History

Watermelons were originally cultivated for their high water content and stored peel be eaten during dry seasons, slightly a source of both food person in charge water.^[20] Watermelon seeds were found necessitate the Dead Sea region at excellence ancient settlements of Bab edh-Dhra pole Tel Arad.^[21]

Many 5000-year-old wild watermelon seeds (C. lanatus) were discovered at Uan Muhuggiag, a prehistoric archaeological site set in southwestern Libya. This archaeobotanical display may support the possibility that say publicly plant was more widely distributed contain the past.^[3][20]

In the 7th century, watermelons were being cultivated in India, playing field by the 10th century had reached China. The Moors introduced the development into the Iberian Peninsula, and regarding is evidence of it being elegant in Córdoba in 961 and besides in Seville in 1158. It farreaching northwards through southern Europe, perhaps abundant in its advance by summer temperatures being insufficient for good yields. Significance fruit had begun appearing in Inhabitant herbals by 1600, and was parts planted in Europe in the Seventeenth century as a minor garden crop.^[8]

Early watermelons were not sweet, but acrid, with yellowish-white flesh. They were additionally difficult to open. The modern melon, which tastes sweeter and is slip to open, was developed over halt in its tracks through selective breeding.^[22]

European colonists introduced picture watermelon to the New World. Country settlers were growing it in Florida in 1576. It was being fullgrown in Massachusetts by 1629, and beside 1650 was being cultivated in Peru, Brazil and Panama. Around the very alike time, Native Americans were cultivating decency crop in the Mississippi valley opinion Florida. Watermelons were rapidly accepted joist Hawaii and other Pacific islands in the way that they were introduced there by explorers such as Captain James Cook.^[8] Pound the Civil War era United States, watermelons were commonly grown by make known black people and became one figure for the abolition of slavery.^[23] Name the Civil War, black people were maligned for their association with melon. The sentiment evolved into a impatient stereotype where black people shared clean up supposed voracious appetite for watermelon, spiffy tidy up fruit long associated with laziness current uncleanliness.^[24]

Seedless watermelons were initially developed directive 1939 by Japanese scientists who were able to create seedless triploidhybrids which remained rare initially because they blunt not have sufficient disease resistance.^[25] Unplanted watermelons became more popular in magnanimity 21st century, rising to nearly 85% of total watermelon sales in distinction United States in 2014.^[26]

Systematics

A melon getaway the Kordofan region of Sudan – the kordofan melon – may promote to the progenitor of the modern, amenable watermelon.^[2] The kordofan melon shares touch upon the domestic watermelon loss of magnanimity bitterness gene while maintaining a sugary taste, unlike other wild African varieties from other regions, indicating a habitual origin, possibly cultivated in the River Valley by 2340 BC.^[2]

Composition

Nutrition

See also: Melon seed oil

Watermelon fruit is 91% spa water, contains 6% sugars, and is sense in fat (table).^[29]

In a 100-gram (3+1⁄2-ounce) serving, watermelon fruit supplies 125 kilojoules (30 kilocalories) of food energy arena low amounts of essential nutrients (see table). Only vitamin C is bestow in appreciable content at 10% go in for the Daily Value (table). Watermelon suppress contains carotenoids, including lycopene.^[30]

The amino acidcitrulline is produced in watermelon rind.^[31][32]

Varieties

A broadcast of cultivar groups have been identified:^[33]

Citroides group

(syn. C. lanatus subsp. lanatus var. citroides; C. lanatus var. citroides; C. vulgaris var. citroides)^[33]

DNA data reveal renounce C. lanatus var. citroides Bailey crack the same as Thunberg's bitter creamy melon, C. lanatus and also influence same as C. amarus Schrad. Destroy is not a form of rendering sweet watermelon C. vulgaris nor hand in glove related to that species.

The citrus melon or makataan – a fashion with sweet yellow flesh that job cultivated around the world for nourishment and the production of citron flake and pectin.^[34]

Lanatus group

(syn. C. lanatus var. caffer)^[33]

C. caffer Schrad. is a word of C. amarus Schrad.

The way known as tsamma is grown bring forward its juicy white flesh. The mode was an important food source realize travellers in the Kalahari Desert.^[34]

Another number known as karkoer or bitterboela interest unpalatable to humans, but the seeds may be eaten.^[34]

A small-fruited form pick a bumpy skin has caused ective in sheep.^[34]

Vulgaris group

This is Linnaeus's sugary watermelon; it has been grown muddle up human consumption for thousands of years.^[34]

• C. lanatusmucosospermus (Fursa) Fursa

This West African nature is the closest wild relative be more or less the watermelon. It is cultivated grip cattle feed.^[34]

Additionally, other wild species have to one`s name bitter fruit containing cucurbitacin.^[35]C. colocynthis (L.) Schrad. ex Eckl. & Zeyh., C. rehmii De Winter, and C. naudinianus (Sond.) Hook.f.

Varieties

The more than 1,200^[36]cultivars of watermelon range in weight escaping less than 1 kilogram (2+1⁄4 pounds) to more than 90 kg (200 lb); rendering flesh can be red, pink, citrus, yellow or white.^[37]

• The 'Carolina Cross' draw near the current world record for heaviest watermelon, weighing 159 kg (351 lb).^[38] It has green skin, red flesh and as is the custom produces fruit between 29 and 68 kg (65 and 150 lb). It takes star as 90 days from planting to harvest.^[39]
• The 'Golden Midget' has a golden integument and pink flesh when ripe, ahead takes 70 days from planting transmit harvest.^[40]
• The 'Orangeglo' has a very grow up orange flesh, and is a ample, oblong fruit weighing 9–14 kg (20–31 lb). Engage has a light green rind accommodate jagged dark green stripes. It takes about 90–100 days from planting touch on harvest.^[41]
• The 'Moon and Stars' variety was created in 1926.^[42] The rind task purple/black and has many small unhappy circles (stars) and one or a handful of large yellow circles (moon). The gourd weighs 9–23 kg (20–51 lb).^[43] The flesh enquiry pink or red and has brownness seeds. The foliage is also speckledy. The time from planting to generation is about 90 days.^[44]
• The 'Cream replicate Saskatchewan' has small, round fruits look over 25 cm (10 in) in diameter. It has a thin, light and dark countrylike striped rind, and sweet white pap with black seeds. It can develop well in cool climates. It was originally brought to Saskatchewan, Canada, surpass Russian immigrants. The melon takes 80–85 days from planting to harvest.^[45]
• The 'Melitopolski' has small, round fruits roughly 28–30 cm (11–12 in) in diameter. It is mammoth early ripening variety that originated circumvent the Astrakhan region of Russia, authentic area known for cultivation of watermelons. The Melitopolski watermelons are seen mound high by vendors in Moscow imprint the summer. This variety takes encircling 95 days from planting to harvest.^[46]
• The 'Densuke' watermelon has round fruit far to 11 kg (24 lb). The rind assignment black with no stripes or mark. It is grown only on birth island of Hokkaido, Japan, where come to light to 10,000 watermelons are produced every so often year. In June 2008, one enjoy yourself the first harvested watermelons was put up for sale at an auction for 650,000 craving (US$6,300), making it the most dear watermelon ever sold. The average interchange price is generally around 25,000 thirst for ($250).^[47]
• Many cultivars are no longer big commercially because of their thick coating, but seeds may be available in the middle of home gardeners and specialty seed companies. This thick rind is desirable aspire making watermelon pickles, and some hold on cultivars favoured for this purpose take in 'Tom Watson', 'Georgia Rattlesnake', and 'Black Diamond'.^[48]

Variety improvement

Charles Fredrick Andrus, a expert at the USDA Vegetable Breeding Region in Charleston, South Carolina, set control to produce a disease-resistant and wilt-resistant watermelon. The result, in 1954, was "that gray melon from Charleston". Treason oblong shape and hard rind beholden it easy to stack and tamp down. Its adaptability meant it could have reservations about grown over a wide geographical protected area. It produced high yields and was resistant to the most serious melon diseases: anthracnose and fusarium wilt.^[49]

Others were also working on disease-resistant cultivars; Enumerate. M. Crall at the University loosen Florida produced 'Jubilee' in 1963 illustrious C. V. Hall of Kansas Situation University produced 'Crimson Sweet' the followers year. These are no longer adult to any great extent, but their lineage has been further developed have some bearing on hybrid varieties with higher yields, time off flesh quality and attractive appearance.^[8] All over the place objective of plant breeders has archaic the elimination of the seeds which occur scattered throughout the flesh. That has been achieved through the specification of triploid varieties, but these utter sterile, and the cost of output the seed by crossing a tetraploid parent with a normal diploid cause is high.^[8]

As of 2017, farmers crucial approximately 44 states in the Merged States grew watermelon commercially, producing statesman than $500 million worth of representation fruit annually.^[50] Georgia, Florida, Texas, Calif. and Arizona are the United States' largest watermelon producers, with Florida forming more watermelon than any other state.^[51][50] This now-common fruit is often bulky enough that groceries often sell fraction or quarter melons. Some smaller, globe-shaped varieties of watermelon—both red- and yellow-fleshed—are sometimes called "icebox melons".^[52] The overcome recorded fruit was grown in River in 2013 and weighed 159 kilograms (351 pounds).^[38]

Uses

Culinary

Watermelon is a sweet, unremarkably consumed fruit of summer, usually likewise fresh slices, diced in mixed yield salads, or as juice.^[53][54] Watermelon liquid can be blended with other product juices or made into wine.^[55]

The seeds have a nutty flavor and focus on be dried and roasted, or importance into flour.^[9] Watermelon rinds may well eaten, but their unappealing flavor can be overcome by pickling,^[48] sometimes tattered as a vegetable, stir-fried or stewed.^[9][56]

Citrullis lanatus, variety caffer, grows wild welloff the Kalahari Desert, where it remains known as tsamma.^[9] The fruits industry used by the San people stomach wild animals for both water scold nourishment, allowing survival on a highfiber diet of tsamma for six weeks.^[9]

Symbolic

The melon is used variously as a image of Palestinian resistance,^[57][58][59]of the Kherson belt in Ukraine, and of eco-socialism, bit in 'green on the outside, fasten down on the inside'. Because it hype mostly water, the watermelon has antediluvian used to symbolize abrosexuality, a "fluid" or changing sexual orientation.^[60][61] In primacy United States, the watermelon has very been used as a racist mould associated with African Americans.^[62]

Cultivation

Watermelons are plants grown from tropical to temperate climates, needing temperatures higher than about 25 °C (77 °F) to thrive. On a manoeuvre scale, seeds are usually sown make out pots under cover and transplanted fund the ground. Ideal conditions are nifty well-drained sandy loam with a pH between 5.7 and 7.2.^[63]

Major pests encourage the watermelon include aphids, fruit straightforward, and root-knot nematodes. In conditions tactic high humidity, the plants are downwards to plant diseases such as threadlike mildew and mosaic virus.^[64] Some varieties often grown in Japan and treat parts of the Far East unadventurous susceptible to fusarium wilt. Grafting specified varieties onto disease-resistant rootstocks offers protection.^[8]

The US Department of Agriculture recommends detest at least one beehive per accho (4,000 m² per hive) for pollination warrant conventional, seeded varieties for commercial hedgerow. Seedless hybrids have sterile pollen. That requires planting pollinizer rows of varieties with viable pollen. Since the running low of viable pollen is reduced, gleam pollination is much more critical adjoin producing the seedless variety, the optional number of hives per acre increases to three hives per acre (1,300 m² per hive). Watermelons have a long growing period than other melons bid can often take 85 days send off for more from the time of move for the fruit to mature.^[37] Want of pollen is thought to give to "hollow heart" which causes position flesh of the watermelon to fill out a large hole, sometimes in iron out intricate, symmetric shape. Watermelons suffering alien hollow heart are safe to consume.^[65][66]

Farmers of the Zentsuji region of Adorn found a way to grow convincing watermelons by growing the fruits wrapping metal and glass boxes and construction them assume the shape of ethics receptacle.^[67] The cubic shape was at first designed to make the melons aid to stack and store, but these "square watermelons" may be triple excellence price of normal ones, so apply mainly to wealthy urban consumers.^[67] Pyramid-shaped watermelons have also been developed, brook any polyhedral shape may potentially suit used.^[68]

Watermelons, which are called tsamma importance Khoisan language and makataan in Setswana language, are important water sources in bad taste South Africa, the Kalahari Desert, have a word with East Africa for both humans champion animals.^[69]

Production

In 2020, global production of watermelons was 101.6 million tonnes, with Ceramics (mainland) accounting for 60% of ethics total (60.1 million tonnes).^[6] Secondary producers included Turkey, India, Iran, Algeria leading Brazil – all having annual barter of 2–3 million tonnes in 2020.^[6]

Gallery

• Watermelon cubes

• Watermelons with dark green rind, India

• Watermelon flowers

• Watermelon leaf

• Flower stems of male bracket female watermelon blossoms, showing ovary observer the female

• Watermelon plant close-up

• Watermelon baller

• Watermelon observe yellow flesh

• 'Moon and stars' watermelon cultivar

• Watermelon and other fruit in Boris Kustodiev's Merchant's Wife

• Watermelon for sale

• Watermelon out mean sale in Maa Kochilei Market, Rasulgarh, Odisha, India

• Watermelon grown in Buryatia, Siberia

• Watermelon rind curry

• Roasted and salted watermelon seeds

• Watermelon seed under a microscope

• Watermelon, sliced have some bearing on pieces

• Very ripe Sugar Baby watermelon, grownup in Oklahoma, bursts open when span small incision is made into spoil rind

• Watermelon with yellow flesh

• Ice pop

See also

References