Watermelon-Citron Melon Hybrids

Just posted the same update on the OSSI forum.

[quote ="Andrey_BY;677977"][img]http://profisad.ru/wa-data/public/shop/products/50/30/3050/images/6992/…]
Kholodok has a typical oval shape for mid late Russian watermelons and you can keep it till New Year party (3-5 months). Usual weight is 7-30 kg, no overripe and the taste is improving after 1 month of storage.
[img]http://bbsos.ru/images/holodok.jpg[/img][/quote]

I decided to try finally opening my "Christmas Watermelon" for this year. It was soft but only had a brix of 4% (an improvement over 2%). I actually think it was under-ripe, so maybe i should aim for breeding a New Years watermelon instead of a christmas watermelon? Except it was fairly soft, so it probably was not overripe. Still, it is a fun project. ;D The "go" gene for yellow/gold rind ripening would come in VERY handy for this project.

Does someone want to try crossing these seeds with an improved gold-skin watermelon?

If anyone is interested in this sub-project for winter storage watermelons, I would be willing to share some of the limited seed with anyone who would like to try crossing it with the Russian Kholodok watermelon variety which is already reported as a winter watermelon variety.

Just updated OSSI thread.

I opened up the last citron like fruits I grew this summer around Christmas / New Years. I think if trying to breed for winter storage melons this is the best way to breed / evaluate them for storage traits.

All three were white fleshed I believe. Two had relatively high amounts of hard flesh with pectin, though not as much as a pure citron melon. The one with the smallest seeds (domestic watermelon small seed size) was fairly soft. It also measured the highest amount of brix sugar content at 2%. The others measured less. One of them had an unusual seed coat color / pattern. Redish-pink seeds with the black mottled covering on top.

Here's some photos. Called it the end of the season and harvested.

I posted this update on the OSSI forum.

So I haven't updated this thread much this year because my own crop did not do the best. But that does not mean this project is dead.

I tried to select and plant the seeds this year only from the ones with traits that seemed desirable (especially for eating). I think I planted about 10-12 "strains". I'll try to come back and edit this post with the names if i haven't already posted.

But anyway, yeah, so my plans mostly failed as most of them failed to thrive at all. My corn crop did fantastic which was planted as an afterthought rather than the main project ironically. But as it turns out the strongest "strain" continued to grow and set fruit regardless of the poor conditions. A testament to good genetics I would think. I still have plenty of backup seed from the large population from last year, so even if I had a complete crop failure I would have been fine. A good reason to only plant 50% of your seed!

But I've heard this project in Germany and Australia? Might be doing well this season. So in other ways by sharing my seed far and wide ive hedged my bets. Hopefully they will post pictures and updates soon too. More members are joining the project on the Experimental Farm Network.

-Andrew

The email feature on this website is still broken. If you need seeds contact me on opensourceplant breeding forum under "biolumo" or email me at biolumo [at] gmail (dot) com and send your address.

This is a test update. Seeing if things work now.

If anyone needs seeds for next year (or this year, though probably too late unless in Australia) then please let me know.

-Andrew
Colorado, USA

I noticed a good germination quote in open ground. Seedlings seem to be strong and healthy so far.
Germination rate is far better than on seeds from Joseph Lofthouse. A volunteer strain from Canada is in between.
Lets hope it is a sign and some are gonna make fruits!