Enhanced pollenizer and method for increasing seedless watermelon yield

15) A diploid watermelon plant comprising the characteristics of:

• a) smaller leaf size compared to the watermelon variety Sangria™,
• b) wherein said fruit rind is more brittle than the rind of the variety Sangria™.

31) A watermelon plant comprising, at maturity, leaves having an average surface area in the range of about 25 to about 40 cm2 and bearing fruit which breaks under a pressure in the range of about 90 to about 150 g/mm2.

45) A method for producing triploid, seedless watermelon fruit comprising the steps of:

• a) planting a field with rows of approximately evenly spaced triploid watermelon plants;
• b) inter-planting diploid pollenizer watermelon plant within said rows of approximately evenly spaced triploid watermelon plants after every 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, or 10th triploid plants;
• c) harvesting said triploid, seedless watermelon fruit.

47) A method for producing triploid, seedless watermelon fruit comprising the steps of:

• a) planting a field with rows of triploid watermelon plants;
• b) planting said field with rows of diploid watermelon plants, wherein the rows of diploid watermelon plants are approximately one-third to one-half the width of the triploid rows.

56) A method for producing diploid pollenizer watermelon plants comprising a) crossing a first watermelon plant having small leaves with a second watermelon plant producing fruit with brittle rind;

• and b) selecting a diploid pollenizer watermelon plants having small leaves and producing fruit with brittle rind.

68) A method for producing diploid pollenizer watermelon plants comprising the steps of developing a diploid pollenizer watermelon plant by increasing the brittleness of the fruit of said pollenizer watermelon plant.