Watermelon with improved processing qualities

Abstract

A watermelon plant that produces fruit having (i) ultra-firm flesh and/or liquid-retaining flesh and (ii) soluble solids of at least about 6 brix.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A watermelon plant, or a part thereof, that produces a mature fruit having soluble solids of at least 6 brix, and said fruit having flesh that resists pressure of at least 3.5 pounds force (lbf) when said flesh is measured from the center of a cut fruit with a penetrometer having an 8 millimeter diameter probe, and wherein said fruit traits are obtainable from watermelon line 3347, a representative sample of seed of said watermelon line 3347 having been deposited with the NCIMB under NCIMB Accession No. 41230. 
     
     
         2 . The watermelon plant, or a part thereof, of  claim 1 , wherein said flesh of said mature fruit resists pressure of at least 4.0 lbf. 
     
     
         3 . The mature fruit of  claim 1 , wherein said flesh of said mature fruit has soluble solids of at least 8 brix. 
     
     
         4 . The watermelon plant, or a part thereof, of  claim 1 , wherein said mature fruit weighs at least 1.5 kg. 
     
     
         5 . The watermelon plant, or a part thereof, of  claim 1 , wherein said mature fruit has red flesh, yellow flesh, or orange flesh. 
     
     
         6 . The watermelon plant, or a part thereof, of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is diploid, tetraploid, or triploid. 
     
     
         7 . A watermelon fruit harvested from the plant according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . Watermelon flesh derived from the watermelon fruit of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . The watermelon plant, or a part thereof, of  claim 1 , wherein said plant has a diploid male parent. 
     
     
         10 . The watermelon plant, or a part thereof, of  claim 1 , wherein said flesh of said mature fruit is liquid-retaining flesh that when cut loses less than three and one-half percent weight after three days storage at 4° centigrade. 
     
     
         11 . A seed that produces a watermelon plant, or a part thereof, of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A watermelon plant, or a part thereof, that produces a mature fruit having liquid-retaining flesh, that when cut, loses less than three and one-half percent weight after three days storage at 4° centigrade, wherein said liquid-retaining flesh trait is obtainable from watermelon line PI296341 or 3347, wherein a representative sample of seed of said watermelon line 3347 has been deposited with the NCIMB under NCIMB Accession No. 41230. 
     
     
         13 . The fruit of  claim 12 , wherein said flesh of said mature fruit resists pressure of at least 3.5 lbf. 
     
     
         14 . The watermelon plant, or a part thereof, of  claim 12 , wherein said flesh of said mature fruit has soluble solids of at least 6 brix. 
     
     
         15 . The watermelon plant, or a part thereof, of  claim 12 , wherein said mature fruit weighs at least 1.5 kg. 
     
     
         16 . A seed that produces a watermelon plant, or a part thereof, of  claim 12 .