Why did this watermelon get so sunburned?
This is no sunburn. It’s a watermelon with a yellow rind! At the recent Watermelon Field Day, we had the opportunity to look at and taste many new and existing lines of watermelons in the field. This one yellow-rind watermelon named Tropical Apollo caught my attention. At first glance, I thought these melons were severely sunburned. Then I saw many melons safely tucked away under the vines and they were yellow too. We cut one open, and it was perfectly ripe. Inside, it has red flesh and a great flavor. This line of watermelons is becoming popular in Europe but hasn’t quite taken off in the States. It was bred and released by the seed company Rijk Zwann. This melon will need some consumer education to entice shoppers to purchase, but could be an interesting niche crop for some roadside growers.
This week’s question is from Zack Snipes, Coastal Fruit and Vegetable Agent.
The South Carolina Grower 