Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 14.1
Pistillate and staminate watermelon,
squash and cantaloupe flowers (l-r).
Figure 14.3
An array of cucumber fruit. (Source:
National Garden Bureau, Downers Grove, IL.)
Figure 14.2
Cantaloupe fruit.
Figure 14.4
A triploid (seedless) watermelon fruit
section.
Cucumber originated in India where wild types can still be
found and it is cultivated in many diverse forms. Secondary
centres of diversity for cucumber are in China and the Near
East. Cucumber was probably domesticated in Asia, and then
introduced into Europe, where the first horticultural types
were selected in the 1700's. Cucumbers were brought to the
Americas by Christopher Columbus, and Native Americans
were growing cucumbers from Florida to Canada by the early
sixteenth century (Maynard & Maynard 2000; Robinson &
Decker-Walters 1997; Whitaker & Davis 1962).
flowers appear first and outnumber pistillate flowers by about
7:1. Pollination is effected mostly by honeybees. Fruit vary in
weight from 1 to over 100 kg, but market types are usually
between 4 and 14 kg. The most popular size is 8 to 10 kg in
the United States. Fruit shape is round to elongated and rind
colour is light to dark green, often with a typical striping
pattern that identifies the cultivar or type. Consumers desire
watermelons with dark pink to deep-red flesh. There is a
niche market for yellow and orange-flesh watermelons.
Watermelon is native to southern Africa, perhaps
where Botswana is currently located. Wild types, often
with bitter flesh can still be found in that area. Watermelon
fruit frequently served as 'living canteens' in times of
prolonged drought in this area.
Watermelon (
Citrullus lanatus
)
Watermelon plants are monoecious annuals with long trailing
thin and angular vines which bear branched tendrils and
lobed leaves. Watermelon flowers, which are smaller and less
showy than those of many other cucurbits are borne solitary
in leaf axils and remain open for only one day. Staminate
