Inbred tetraploid watermelon line 90-4194

A method to produce a triploid hybrid watermelon seed comprising the steps of:

• a) planting in pollinating proximity seeds of tetraploid watermelon line 90-4194, seed of said watermelon line having been deposited under ATCC Accession No:
• ______, or seeds producing watermelon plants having all the physiological and morphological characteristics of said tetraploid watermelon 90-4194 and seeds of a diploid male parent watermelon plant;
• b) planting said diploid male watermelon plant 7 to 10 days earlier than the female parent tetraploid watermelon line 90-4194;
• c) cultivating watermelon plants resulting from said seeds until said plants bear second female flowers;
• d) covering the female flowers of said female parent tetraploid watermelon 90-4194 on the afternoon immediately prior to the day said female flowers open;
• e) collecting the male flowers of said diploid male parent watermelon plant in early morning on the day said female flowers open;
• f) pollinating said female flowers with said male flowers collected in step e);
• and
• g) harvesting seeds produced from said female flowers pollinated in step f).

A method to produce triploid watermelon seed according comprising the steps of:

• a) planting the seed of said female parent tetraploid watermelon 90-4194 and seed of said male parent watermelon plant in a field in a pattern of 2 rows female parent to 1 row male parent;
• b) pruning the plants of said female parent tetraploid watermelon 90-4194 to approximately 2-3 branches per plant;
• c) emasculating substantially all the male flowers and male flower buds on the plants of said tetraploid female parent 90-4194;
• d) allowing pollination of the female flowers of said female parent 90-4194 with the pollen of said male parent;
• e) marking the female flowers pollinated during the emasculating period;
• and
• f) harvesting the seed from the marked fruit of the tetraploid female parent plants.