Watermelon

Crop Guide

TM

Meeting needs across the

Value Chain

Every link in the watermelon value chain has specific needs that must be met from vigor and yield to uniformity and appearance to texture and taste. At Syngenta, we put our technology to work for you by providing modern agricultural solutions that help drive production of high-quality, nutritious watermelons with strong, diverse market appeal.

Matching Our Technology to Your Needs

Through focused market research, global collaboration and customer interaction, we gather insights and feedback from all links in the value chain to build a strong pipeline of input and output traits that continuously enhance our variety offerings. We help you successfully meet the needs at each level of the watermelon market from field to fork.

technology ADVANCEMENTS

Grower

Trader / Repackager
Insights and feedback

Retailer
Insights and feedback

Consumer
Insights and feedback

Focused Innovation
We listen to the market and gather insights from all links in the value chain to steer our research and development and ultimately offer innovative, holistic solutions that not only meet your needs, but help you differentiate your offering and capture a higher return on investment.

Market Pull

Broad Market Expertise

Through our rich heritage in the industry, a strong global network of world-class researchers and breeders, and a knowledgeable team of field experts, we are uniquely positioned to offer the services, products and support you need to help you increase productivity and maximize profitability.

Putting Our Technology to Work

As a leading provider of high-quality, high-yielding vegetable seed, Syngenta proudly maintains multiple state-of-the-art research and processing facilities across North America, including its seed processing facility in Pasco, Washington. The approximately 200,000-square-foot site revolutionized vegetable seed handling through industry-leading enhancements in seed-processing capabilities. Once seed has been conditioned, Pasco has the ability to store seeds at optimal temperature and humidity, enabling Syngenta to supply growers with a high-quality vegetable seed rich in Syngenta genetics and technology.

Powerful Portfolio of Solutions

We offer a powerful, industry-leading portfolio of vegetable varieties, growing methods and crop protection products to help you build total crop solutions that meet the needs of each link in the value chain, while helping ensure sustainable production of high-yielding, high-quality watermelons.

Watermelon Plants you can Count on

Take the guesswork out of your seed purchase
You need plants that are usable when transplanting. Full Count delivers 100 percent of your needs based on actual plants that are usable. Syngenta transplant producers account for weak, unusable plants in the order when delivering to the field. For variety information and seed availability, please contact:
East: Craig Mathis 208-863-7179 craig.mathis@syngenta.com West: Allen Gill 520-241-3546 allen.gill@syngenta.com Texas: Clegg Smith 956-343-4274 clegg.smith@syngenta.com

Maximum Yield with Minimum Hassle

Super Pollenizer varieties eliminate the need to plant a traditional seeded watermelon variety as a pollenizer, which is an important advantage considering that traditional pollenizers can occupy from 25 to 33 percent* of a field. Using SP varieties, growers can now utilize that area to produce additional seedless watermelon.

SP-6: The Next Evolution in SP Varieties

With a strong resistance package, hardier transplants and more multiple branches, SP-6 is the latest innovation in the Super Pollenizer family of varieties.
FEATURES

No dedicated space required

Supported on a multi-branched, thin vine plant with lacy-type leaves, SP varieties grow over the top of commercial seedless varieties and produce pollen over an extended period of time. A field can be planted with a seedless watermelon variety at a standard spacing with the pollenizer interplanted (3:1 ratio) between every third and fourth seedless watermelon plant. With the disease resistance and plant health of SP varieties, it is possible to achieve a 4:1 ratio in many planting areas.

Avoid paying for unnecessary seed, transplant and freight costs

Full Count gives you the assurance of meeting 100 percent of your plant needs, without the worries of being long or short in plants that will ultimately add to your production costs.

Intermediate resistance to: Fusarium wilt races 1 and 2, Anthracnose race 1, zucchini yellow mosaic virus and powdery mildew Hardier transplants than SP-5 under early season, cool conditions More multiple branches than SP-1, SP-4 and SP-5, thus providing the potential for a larger number of male flowers throughout the season Fruit has a brittle rind with a distinct rind pattern Plant has a small leaf on an open, lacy vine
benefits

Sow when you are ready

Syngenta has placed seed inventories with its Full Count producers to ensure that your order has just the right amount of growing days in the greenhouse to meet your plant quality requirements. Forget about just-intime seed deliveries that throw your production plan off schedule.

Reduced labor costs

In addition to eliminating the dedicated space needed for conventional systems, SP varieties also eliminate additional labor costs associated with organizing separate field crew and packing operations.

No competitive effect on the yield of seedless watermelon Early extended flowering with pollen available throughout the entire growing season Patented technology designed to optimize seedless growing operations Crop damage caused by harvesting pollenizer varieties is eliminated SP-6 is offered exclusively through the Full Count program.
Note: SP-1, SP-4, SP-5 and SP-6 are protected by U.S. Patent No: 6,759,576; 7,071,374; 7,528,298; 7,550,652; 8,173,873 and 8,212,118.

Maximization of yield
With SP varieties, growers can produce and manage seeded watermelons in a separate field and focus on maximizing yields of seedless watermelons within a dedicated field. SP varieties also create the potential for additional harvests of seedless watermelons because of the durable vine and extended pollen supply of the SP varieties.
*Source: Syngenta California Field Trials

Save on preplant costs by paying after you transplant in the field

Your Syngenta Full Count dealer invoices you after the plants are delivered to the field with standard 60-day terms. Due to increasing costs associated with field preparation, fertilizer and irrigation setup, preplant cost savings help increase your cash flow right from the start.

Receive preferred volume pricing

By placing a contracted order, you receive a discount based on the total cumulative volume of plants purchased through the program. The discount can save you $15-$30 per acre, depending on the order quantity. Discounts apply regardless of region, transplant producer or varieties contracted.
The fruit of SP-6. SP varieties have open, lacy vines that grow over the top of seedless watermelon varieties.

Market leaders in watermelon

Fascination
High-yielding Fascination produces excellent seedless watermelons with unique, advanced features that bring premium market pricing.
Attractive red, firm flesh Very small pips and great watermelon flavor for retail markets Uniform 45- and 36-count blocky fruit Excellent yield potential Maturity is usually two to three days earlier than mid-season varieties Improved disease resistance with intermediate resistance to Fusarium wilt race 1 and Anthracnose race 1 Complete package: disease resistance + quality + yield Ships and holds well Superior eye appeal; glossy, rich rind color Ideal for the fresh-cut industry with high-quality halves, quarters and cubes

Melody
Melody offers growers the advantage of an early maturity to take advantage of firstof-the-season market demand for an attractive and flavorful seedless watermelon. Early maturity! Can be five to seven days earlier than Tri-X 313 Heavy, concentrated set of 14- to 16-pound fruit Attractive, dark red flesh color Richer rind pattern than standard seedless varieties

Sweet Gem
Mostly 60- and 45-count seedless fruit with round shape Good fruit set with earlier maturity and excellent yield potential Rich, glossy dark green rind with classy appearance Attractive firm red flesh with small pips and crisp, sweet, mouth-watering flavor Ideal for roadside and local markets

Distinction
Distinction is a strong producer even in hot weather conditions, yielding abundant globeshaped fruit with firm red flesh and attractive appearance for fresh market and other uses. Improved disease resistance with intermediate resistance to: Fusarium wilt race 1 and Anthracnose race 1 Very firm, red flesh with potential for fresh cut use Globe-shaped, medium-large fruit mostly in the 15- to 18-pound size range Good fruit set and high yield potential Does well under warm to hot growing conditions Richer rind color than traditional seedless varieties Maturity is usually three to five days later than Tri-X 313

Amarillo
Bright, deep yellow flesh color Broad adaptability Average fruit size from 13 to 15 pounds per fruit Distinctive rind pattern

Admiration
Admiration is a larger version of Fascination with the same high-quality, deep red flesh. Admiration produces large fruit on a strong, healthy plant. Intermediate resistance to Fusarium wilt race 1 and Anthracnose race 1 Uniform, large-size seedless producing mostly 36-count fruit Good fruit set and excellent yield potential Strong seedling vigor for improved transplant growth Great watermelon flavor for retail markets with rich, deep skin color and classy appearance for buyer appeal The choice for buyers seeking extra-large fruit size

Sweet Delight
Similar to Tri-X 313, but with larger fruit weighing 16 to 19 pounds Concentrated crown set resulting in a shorter harvest period Bright red flesh with excellent uniformity Proven performance in the spring as well as hot to cool fall growing conditions

Tri-X 313
Tri-X 313 sets the standard for seedless watermelons for quality and consistency, producing a marketable mix even under a variety of growing conditions. The Original Seedless Blocky shape, fruit average 15 to 18 pounds Provides a marketable mix of 45- and 36-count fruit Widely adaptable across growing areas and seasons Very reliable for yield and quality

Top Gun
Produces a more uniform shape and better fruit quality compared to other Crimson Sweet types Improved flesh quality including a bright red color Classy Crimson Sweet rind appearance Excellent seedling vigor to get the crop off to a good start

Estrella
Uniform fruit shape and exceptional flesh quality makes Estrella a market leader while its larger plants protect the fruit under poor growing conditions. Allsweet-type hybrid Early maturity Uniform fruit size, averaging 20 to 24 pounds Classy and uniform fruit shape can mean more potential marketable yield Dark red, firm flesh with small seeds and smaller seed pockets Heavy, concentrated fruit set

Mardi Gras
Widely-adapted Allsweet hybrid Strong vine supports the fruit under difficult growing conditions Fruits average 20 to 24 pounds High yields of uniformly shaped fruit Superior field holding ability Maintains good fruit size over multiple harvests

Tri-X Palomar
Tri-X Palomar has earned a solid reputation for producing a high pack out of excellent eating-quality watermelons, featuring firm, crisp, bright red flesh thats protected with a rind with a well-known appearance. Unique rind pattern easily identified by growers and retailers Uniform fruit set in the 45- to 36-count range Bright red flesh, firm and crisp Maintains consistent sizes over all harvest picks Low incidence of hollow heart Performs well under higher plant populations for maximum yields

Jamboree
Allsweet heritage with deep red flesh and excellent flavor Larger fruit size, averaging 24 to 28 pounds Fruit can size well under cool and stressed conditions Dependable, uniform fruit

Sangria
Gold standard for eating quality in the Allsweet market Good shipper with a following among many growers, brokers and shippers Fruit averages 18 to 22 pounds Dark red flesh with superior eating quality

Cucurbit crop protection options

Insecticides Fungicides
Durivo insecticide is the only soil-applied via drip chemigation, fast-acting, long-lasting insecticide for control of lepidoptera and sucking and chewing pests. Inspire Super fungicide is a top of the class fungicide that utilizes the unique active ingredient difenoconazole as part of its triazole mixture for long-lasting control of damaging diseases.

Technical data: watermelon

Variety Approximate days to maturity Fruit shape Fruit weight range (lbs) Rind pattern Flesh description Disease resistance

seedless Melody Sweet Gem Amarillo Imagination Fascination 79 79 80 80 83 Medium, globe shaped fruit Globe Globe Compact globe size for specialty markets Blocky 14 - 16 13 - 16 13 - 15 12 - 15 16 - 20 Medium green with deep green stripes Rich, glossy, dark green skin Medium green with narrow, dark green stripes Solid, very dark green Very deep, rich green skin with a medium Crimson Sweet stripe Very deep, rich green skin with a medium Crimson Sweet stripe Light green with hazy, broad, medium-dark green stripes Light green with hazy, broad, medium-dark green stripes Light green with hazy, broad, medium-dark green stripes Medium-dark green with narrow, dark green stripes Deep green skin color with a Crimson Sweet stripe Dark red flesh Dark red flesh Yellow flesh Bright red Dark red, firm flesh IR: Co: 1 None stated None stated None stated IR: Co: 1 / Fon: 1

Actara is a foliar-applied insecticide that provides excellent control of many sucking and chewing pests.

Admiration

84

Blocky

17 - 21

Deep red, firm flesh

IR: Co: 1 / Fon: 1

Bravo Weather Stik fungicide provides superior preventive control of foliar diseases in a wide range of crops.

Sweet Delight Tri-X 212

85 85

Blocky Medium, blocky fruit with excellent uniformity Blocky Globe Globe

16 - 19 13 - 16

Red flesh Red flesh

None stated IR: Co: 1

Agri-Mek SC miticide/insecticide is based on novel chemistry with a unique mode of action that delivers long-lasting control of mites and leafminers. Rotate with Trigard for leafminer control. Do not make more than two sequential applications of Agri-Mek SC.

Quadris fungicide provides outstanding broad-spectrum systemic disease control and enhanced Plant Performance against yield-robbing fungi. Applications can be made in-furrow and as a foliar spray.

Tri-X 313 Tri-X Palomar Distinction seeded Top Gun Estrella

86 87 90

15 - 18 15 - 17 15 - 18

Red flesh Red flesh Red, firm flesh

None stated IR: Co: 1 IR: Co: 1 / Fon: 1

Fulfill insecticide has a unique mode of action that provides excellent aphid control.

Quadris TopTM fungicide is the strobilurin of choice and offers growers a high level of activity and reliability. With two active ingredients for control of many important plant diseases, its low use rates and application flexibility also make it a great addition to many Integrated Pest Management programs.

78 80 80 81 82

Globe Long, blocky Elongated Elongated Elongated

22 - 26 20 - 24 20 - 24 20 -24 24 - 28

Medium green with broad, medium-dark green stripes Dark green with broken, light green stripes Dark green with broken, light green stripes Dark green with broken, light green stripes Dark green with broken, light green stripes

Red flesh with mediumlarge seed size Dark red flesh with small seed Red flesh with medium seed size Red flesh with medium seed size Red flesh with medium seed size

IR: Co: 1 / Fon: 1 IR: Co: 1 / Fon: 1 IR: Co: 1 / Fon: 1 IR: Co / Fon IR: Co / Fon

Platinum 75SG insecticide is a highly concentrated formulation of thiamethoxam, which has consistently provided excellent residual control of many economically damaging pests.

Revus fungicide with LOK + FLO action locks into the outer surface of leaves and gradually filters in to deliver consistent performance, rain or shine.

Sangria Mardi Gras Jamboree

Trigard insecticide is an insect growth regulator that delivers longlasting leafminer control without impacting beneficial insects. Rotate with Agri-Mek SC.

Ridomil Gold Bravo SC is a highly active fungicide that controls several diseases in cucurbits.

Ridomil Gold SL is a highly active, soil-applied fungicide that controls soilborne diseases caused by Pythium. Voliam Xpress is a foliar insecticide that provides fast knockdown and control of a wide range of insects with the added benefit of long-lasting control.

Disease abbreviation key

Co Fon Anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum orbiculare Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum HR IR High resistance Intermediate resistance

Herbicides

Warrior II with Zeon Technology insecticide delivers the combination of consistently reliable performance, modern formulation technology, and long residual insect protection for cucurbits.

Gramoxone brand herbicides are non-selective contact herbicides available for control of grass and broadleaf weeds, and are effective under a variety of conditions. Nothing is faster among non-selective herbicides.

In cases where specific races or strains are not noted, the variety is resistant to some, but not necessarily all known races or strains of the pathogen. For complete disease resistance information, please visit vegetables.syngenta-us.com.

Touchdown HiTech is a non-selective herbicide that delivers excellent broad-spectrum weed control.

For more information, visit www.syngenta-us.com or contact your local Syngenta reseller or representative.

2013 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some crop protection products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration status. AAtrex 4L, AAtrex Nine-O, Agri-Flex, Agri-Mek 0.15EC, Agri-Mek SC, Avicta 500FS, Avicta Complete Corn 250, Avicta Complete Corn 500, Avicta Duo Corn, Avicta Duo 250 Corn, Avicta Duo 500 Corn, Avicta Duo Cotton, Besiege, Bicep II Magnum, Bicep II Magnum FC, Bicep Lite II Magnum, Callisto Xtra, Clinch, Curacron 8E, Cyclone Star, Denim, Endigo ZC, Epi-Mek 0.15EC, Expert, Force 3G, Force CS, Gramoxone Inteon, Gramoxone SL, Gramoxone SL 2.0, Karate with Zeon Technology, Karate EC, Lexar, Lexar EZ, Lumax, Lumax EZ, Proclaim, Voliam Xpress, Warrior II with Zeon Technology and Warrior with Zeon Technology are Restricted Use Pesticides. Not all traits or trait stacks referenced herein are approved for sale or use in the United States. These traits and trait stacks are not being offered for sale. Crops or other materials produced from traited seed products can only be exported to, used, processed and/or sold in countries where all necessary regulatory approvals have been granted. Actara, Agri-Mek, Agri-Mek 0.15EC, Besiege, Centric, Centric 40WG, Curacron, Curacron 8E, Denim, Durivo, Endigo ZC, Karate with Zeon Technology, Karate EC, Platinum, Platinum 75SG, Proclaim, Voliam Flexi, Voliam Xpress, Warrior with Zeon Technology, and Warrior II with Zeon Technology are highly toxic to bees exposed to direct treatment or to residues on blooming crops and weeds. Do not apply these products or allow them to drift onto blooming plants if bees are foraging in the treated area. Some seed treatment offers are separately registered products applied to the seed as a combined slurry. Always read individual product labels and treater instructions before combining and applying component products. Performance evaluations vs. competitive products are based solely upon interpretation of research trials and/or publicly available information. The trademarks displayed or otherwise used herein (the Trademarks) are registered and unregistered Trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company or third parties.

GS 403.61018

SLC 1762D 01-2013