Introducing A Revolutionary New Pollinator...The Super Pollenizer™. SP-4 eliminates the need to plant traditional seeded watermelon in seedless watermelon fields. No Dedicated Space As a multi-branched thin vine plant with lacy type leaves, SP-4 grows over the top of commercial seedless varieties and produces pollen over an extended period of time.Under current practices, seeded watermelon occupy dedicated space in a seedless watermelon field and may account for 25-33% of the ground (3:1 or 2:1 plant ratio). SP-4 requires no dedicated space in a seedless watermelon field. The field can be planted with a seedless watermelon variety at a standard spacing and the “pollenizer”is then inter-planted (3:1 ratio) between every 3rd and 4th seedless watermelon plant  as shown in figure 3.

Benefits

There are several advantages of moving to a technology that will allow growers to not plant a traditional seeded watermelon variety as a pollenizer. Traditional seeded watermelon pollinators can occupy from 25-33% of a field. Using technology advancements made available through SP-4, the 25-33% ground area can now be used to produce additional seedless watermelon.

Increased yield of seedless watermelons from 25-33% as there is no dedicated space needed for a pollinator as in conventional systems.

Eliminate the damage to the seedless watermelon crop caused when the seeded watermelon “pollinators” are harvested.

Maximize the yield of seedless watermelons by allowing fields to be used solely for the purpose of growing seedless watermelon.

Option to produce and manage seeded watermelons in a separate field. If a grower needs to plant and market seeded watermelons they can now do so in a separate field.

Potential for additional harvests of seedless watermelons because of the extended pollen supply of this unique pollinator.

 

NOTE: SP-4 is the subject of United States Patent Application No. 20040060085, published on March 25, 2004. U.S. Patent No. 6759576 issued on July 6, 2004 entitled, "ENHANCED POLLENIZER AND METHOD FOR INCREASING SEEDLESS WATERMELON YIELD."

Note: All variety information presented herein is based on field and laboratory observation. Actual crop yield and quality are dependent upon many factors beyond our control and NO WARRANTY is made for crop yield and quality. Since environmental conditions and local practices may affect variety characteristics and performance, we disclaim any legal responsibility for these. Read all tags and labels. They contain important conditions of sale, including limitations of warranties and remedies. Full Count™ and Super Pollenizer™ are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. ROGERS® is a registered trademark of a Syngenta Group Company.

¹Article “Fruit Set of Triploid Watermelons as a Function of Distance from a Diploid Pollinizer”, Hort Science Vol 36(1) p60-61, 2001