CAES Newswire

 College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences UGA Cooperative Extension
Menu
Published on 03/29/18

Watermelon growers work to produce a sweet crop with good texture

By Clint Thompson, Julie Jernigan

In Georgia, it’s planting season for watermelons. Usually, they aspire to produce high yields of a sweet crop, but they shouldn’t ignore firmness and texture, according to Tim Coolong, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension vegetable horticulturist.

“Sweetness is a major component to watermelons, but without the right flesh firmness, the overall texture can be unpleasant,” Coolong said. “Consumers don’t like that.”

During statewide winter production meetings, Coolong discussed the previous year’s variety trial research, which focused on yield, sweetness and firmness. He classifies firmness in terms of consumers’ expectations. If the fruit is too soft, then the texture is poor and the fruit isn’t appealing to eat. If the fruit is too firm, then the consumer may consider it unripe.

“Watermelons are an important crop for our growers in southern Georgia. The market can fluctuate during the summer, so planting desirable watermelons is key to a productive season,” Coolong said. “One part of that success is having a melon with the firmness that consumers want. Based on my research, there are some watermelon varieties that consistently do this better than others and that’s what I wanted to convey to farmers this winter.”

To test for firmness, Coolong uses a penetrometer, a hand-held device with a probe 11 millimeters wide that registers resistance, measuring the firmness of the fruit when it’s pushed into the flesh. In order to generate comparable readings, Coolong and his crew must insert the probe at the same speed and in the same location in every melon.

Most melons land in the middle of the firmness scale, which means that they’re not too crisp or too soft. 

Variety trial research is an important part of Coolong’s work at UGA. He tests between 25 and 30 varieties to get a good sample of what’s on the market.

“Certainly, we are only one part of a large effort that goes into bringing products and varieties to market for Georgia growers. We hope our research provides everyone with the best available information to make them more profitable,” he said.

In 2016, watermelon’s farm gate value in Georgia was estimated at 124.4 million, according to the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development.

Clint Thompson is an agriculture writer based in Tifton, Georgia.

Authors:
Clint Thompson
Julie Jernigan
Experts/Sources:
Timothy Coolong
To test for firmness, Tim Coolong, UGA Extension vegetable horticulturist, uses a penetrometer. The hand-held device has a probe 11 millimeters wide that registers resistance, measuring the firmness of the fruit when it's pushed into the flesh. Student worker Kalen Fleming carries a watermelon on the UGA Tifton campus.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
Download Image
TiftonCampusSunset2 CAES News
CAES Transfer Pathways Program expands enrollment access for rural students 11/12/24 Emily Cabrera
The Transfer Pathways Program is opening new doors for rural students who dream of attending the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). In partnership with Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and Southern Regional Technical College, students who complete required coursework at these institutions can transfer to CAES to complete bachelor’s degrees in one of three majors — agribusiness, agricultural education, and agriscience and environmental systems. 
GMREC CAES News
North Georgia hub fueling agricultural research at UGA 11/06/24 David Mitchell
Research in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences runs the gamut — from plants, animals and dairy science, and crop and soil sciences to entomology, food science and technology, and more. It’s an expansive agenda, too broad to be housed on the university’s 760-acre main campus. For that, CAES turns to its eight off-campus research and education centers located all over the state.
University of Georgia startup CytoNest Inc. released its first commercial product this year, a fiber scaffold that optimizes cell manufacturing and tissue engineering. (Photo by Lauren Corcino) CAES News
UGA again ranks No. 1 in new research-based products 11/04/24 Brandon Ward
The University of Georgia once again ranks No. 1 among U.S. universities for the number of commercial products to market based on its research, according to an annual survey conducted by AUTM. For nine straight years, UGA has placed in the top two and has never appeared out of the Top 5 in the 11 years the survey has been reported by AUTM. UGA industry partners and startups released a record 66 new products developed from the university’s research in fiscal year 2023, on which the AUTM report is based.
Seth McAllister and farmer Mark Daniel discuss crop production and agritourism. CAES News
UGA Extension supports agritourism through expert advice and collaboration 10/24/24 Emily Cabrera
On a sunny day with bright-blue skies, I arrive at Mark’s Melon Patch in Sasser, Georgia, and immediately spot the familiar white University of Georgia Cooperative Extension pickup truck, the Terrell County Extension logo prominently displayed on the door. Seth McAllister, the Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Terrell County, greets me with a broad grin and a firm handshake. Terrell County alone has 60,000 acres of row crops, half in cotton. But what McAllister loves most about his role as an Extension agent is the diversity of his work.
Some of the University of Georgia's extended campuses saw damage from Hurricane Helene. (Photo courtesy of Adam Fouche) CAES News
Relief efforts continue after Hurricane Helene 10/04/24
The University of Georgia community has rallied in the wake of Hurricane Helene, coming together to address damage done to campus facilities while also lending a helping hand to friends and neighbors hit hardest by the storm. While UGA’s main campus weathered the storm with relatively minor damage, the same could not be said for the Tifton campus, where heavy rains and high winds brought down trees and power lines, leaving the campus and surrounding area without power.
The University of Georgia Center for Continuing Education & Hotel saw some damage from the winds and rain of Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA) CAES News
UGA weathers Hurricane Helene 09/27/24
The University of Georgia’s main campus was fortunate to emerge relatively unscathed after Hurricane Helene barreled through the state early Friday morning. However, the impact was more significant at our extended campus locations. While the UGA Griffin campus reported no major damage, UGA-Tifton was hit much harder, with dozens of downed trees and power outages, as well as flooding in several buildings. Damage to farm operations across south Georgia appears to be extensive.