Download seedless watermelons

SEEDLESS WATERMELONS
(Polyploidy)
Seedless watermelons were invented over 50 years ago, and
they have few or no seeds. When we say seeds, we are
talking about mature seeds, the black ones. Oftentimes, the
white seed coats where a seed did not mature are assumed to
be seeds. But this isn’t the case! They are perfectly safe to
swallow while eating, and don’t worry - no seeds will grow in
your stomach.
So, how are seedless watermelons grown? Chromosomes are the
building blocks that give characteristics, or traits, to living things
including plants and watermelons. Watermelon breeders discovered
that crossing a diploid plant (bearing the standard two sets of
chromosomes) with a tetraploid plant (having four sets of
chromosomes) results in a fruit that produces a triploid seed. (Yes, it
has three sets of chromosomes). This triploid seed is the seed that
produces seedless watermelons!
In other words, a seedless watermelon is a sterile hybrid which is
created by crossing male pollen for a watermelon, containing 22
chromosomes per cell, with a female watermelon flower with 44
chromosomes per cell. When this seeded fruit matures, the small,
white seed coats inside contain 33 chromosomes, rendering it sterile
and incapable of producing seeds. This is similar to the mule,
produced by crossing a horse with a donkey. This process does not
involve genetic modification.
How They're Planted
The seedless watermelons need seeded watermelons in order to be
pollinated and set fruit. In a watermelon field where they're growing
seedless, roughly 25% of the plants are seeded varieties and 75%
are seedless varieties. Hives of bees are brought into the fields to
cross-pollinate from the seeded plants to the seedless plants.
Without this cross-pollination, the seedless watermelon plants would
not produce fruit.
Seedless watermelon varieties are more difficult to grow than their
seedier cousins but it can be done. Your best bet is to germinate
these pricier seeds indoors at an optimal 85º F, and plant them
outdoors after soil temperatures have warmed to at least 70º F. It's
easier to buy melon transplants and set them out when temperatures
are in the 80s. Because seedless melons are sterile and produce little
pollen, you'll need to also plant a normal pollinator variety of
watermelon in the patch so the bees can pollinate the flowers,
contributing to the development of flavorful, well-formed fruit.