Melon
CROP GUIDE
Committed to Excellence
from the field to the table
We are committed to helping growers get the most from their
crops, both now and for generations to come. Partnering
with our customers every step of the way, we offer advanced,
innovative solutions that provide growers with the tools they
need in the field to ultimately put the food on the table. After
all, our job is about helping customers deliver high-quality,
nutritious vegetables to the market. We leverage our rich history
in the industry, strong presence in the market and significant
investment in the future of agriculture to help you do just that.
Partnering for
Success
Our roots in the vegetable industry run deep, tracing
back to 1876 with the establishment of ROGERS®
brand seed. For more than 130 years, we have
worked boot-to-boot with our vegetable customers
to provide a truly cutting edge, individualized
approach to solution building.
Addressing Whole-farm Challenges
We believe that, to be successful, sustainable agriculture metrics must be integrated into dayto-day operations and decision-making, and that the value of doing this must exceed the cost.
Through our AgriEdge Excelsior® program, we’re providing growers with data-rich, whole-farm
management tools that help them make agronomically sound decisions, operate more efficiently
and meet sustainable sourcing demands.
Innovating for the Future
Backed by global resources and a daily investment of more than $3 million in research and development, we bring to market
innovative, integrated solutions that help ensure your high-value vegetable crops reach their full genetic potential. Our state-of-theart research facilities located across the U.S. are incubators for innovation in the field and in the marketplace, helping to ensure that
we’re providing growers with the tools they need to put food on the table.
Pasco Seed Processing Facility
Nampa Research Station
This 40-acre, 200,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility
processes both large-seeded and small-seeded vegetables.
It houses a unique, two-pass drying system that most
closely resembles natural drying in the field. Seed is stored
within optimal parameters of temperature and humidity,
ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality seed.
This facility is the Center of
Excellence for breeding of
large-seeded vegetables
including sweet corn, snap
peas and garden beans.
Its Product Quality Control
laboratory manages quality
control of all Syngenta
vegetable seeds for North
America and facilitates
approximately 50,000
samples annually.
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Resear , NC
Park
Syngenta Research
Stations
Syngenta Seed
Processing Facilities
Naples Research Station
Woodland Research Station
Undergoing a major expansion to enhance R&D
and seed production capabilities, this station
serves as a hub for cereal, corn, cucurbit and
fruiting vegetable research in the California
Central Valley.
This station lies just south of the frost line in Florida,
allowing two generations per year of most crops. It
includes more than 100 open-field acres and contains
more than 60,000 square feet of greenhouse space, as
well as controlled growth environments and laboratories.
Supporting the Industry
Our commitment to customer satisfaction extends beyond solutions,
service, and support – it’s an investment in the future success of the
industry as well. We are proud to work closely with industry organizations,
such as the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA), California Association
of Pest Control Advisers (CAPCA), Produce for Better Health, Produce
Marketing Association and United Fresh Produce Association, as an
advocate for sustainable vegetable production and consumption.
Proud To
Support FFA
Market leaders in the East
Accolade
Accolade is an eastern shipper variety that features improved fruit quality and a
comprehensive disease resistance package for early to main season plantings.
•Tight seed cavity with firm,
orange flesh
•Medium netted exterior
•Enhanced vine strength
•Bred for resistance to cotton aphid
•Improved internal fruit quality for
extended shelf life
•Strong and vigorous plant to stand up
to field stress and resist fruit cracking
Astound
Astound is an eastern shipper variety that features improved flesh firmness, a tighter seed
cavity and an enhanced disease resistance package for main to late season plantings.
•Firm, orange flesh with a small,
tight cavity
•High quality, netted appearance
•Enhanced vine strength
•Bred for resistance to cotton aphid
•Improved internal fruit quality and
flesh firmness for extended shelf life
•Strong and vigorous plant to stand up
to field stress and resist fruit cracking
Athena
Ariel
The melon of choice for the eastern U.S., Athena is an innovative hybrid cantaloupe
that delivers the sweet flavor and texture consumers demand. Athena melons stay
firm even when harvested at full slip.
•Improved Athena type
•Similar flavor to Athena
•Slightly larger fruit size with an
improved fruit net
•Very uniform fruit size
•Average fruit weight 5.5 to 6.5 pounds
•Approximately 73 days to maturity
•Industry standard
•Proven performance in all major
eastern melon production areas
•The name “Athena” is recognized by
the broker through to the consumer
•High-quality and flavor that has set
the market standard
•Average fruit weight 5 to 6 pounds
•Approximately 75 days to maturity
Aphrodite
Aphrodite delivers an improved fruit netting in a larger-sized melon, while offering
early maturity that secures an early jump on the market.
•Early-maturing Athena type
•Larger fruit size
•Improved fruit net
•Has done well in Midwest plantings
•Average fruit weight 6 to 7 pounds
•Approximately 72 days to maturity
Setting the standard for the West
Gold Crown
El Camino
A western shipper variety poised to perform well in the San Joaquin Valley, Gold Crown
is an early- to main-season variety for the March to April sowing window. Its consistent
fruit shape and large fruit size make this a desirable variety for growers and packers,
while its firmer flesh, sweet taste and longer shelf life are sure to attract consumers.
•Yields large fruit (mostly 9s) with thicker
flesh and good net coverage
•Excellent interior quality of medium-dark
flesh and a medium-tight cavity
•Good vine strength, plus good disease
resistance package
•Firm, dark orange flesh
•Good sugar development with
shipper taste
•Slightly oval fruit with very dense
netting
•Excellent disease resistance package
•Maintains superb fruit quality and
freshness for long shelf life
•Early- to main-season variety allows
for early market opportunities
Gold Express
High-performing hybrid that stands up to variable growing conditions and delivers
abundant fruit with excellent eating qualities.
•An ideal western shipper that
produces medium to large fruit
•Excellent flavor and internal quality,
featuring a tight seed cavity and firm,
dark-orange flesh
•Superior appearance enhanced by a
dense net covering the exterior
•Designed for prolonged harvest
conditions
•Performs well in late spring and fall
plantings in the Desert Southwest
•Provides growers in the San Joaquin
Valley a main-season variety with
improved fruit size
Technical data: melon
Variety
Approx. days
to maturity
Average fruit
length x width (in)
Interior appearance
Exterior appearance
Disease resistance
MELON: EASTERN SHIPPER
Aphrodite
72
7 x 6.5
Thick flesh similar to Athena
Medium-coarse netting, slight
suture that is netted
HR: Fom: 0, 1, 2 / Px: 1
T: S
Accolade
73
7.5 x 6.7
Small tight cavity with
orange flesh
Oval, netted
HR: Px: 1 / Px: 2US / Fom: 0,1,2
IR: Ag / Px: 3,5
T: S
7.5 x 6.7
Small tight cavity with
orange flesh
Oval, netted
HR: Px: 1 / Px: 2US / Fom: 0,1,2
IR: Ag / Px: 3,5
T: S
Astound
Ariel
73
6.8 x 6.3
Medium cavity with
orange flesh
Well-netted, light shell color
HR: Fom: 0-2
IR: Px: 1
T: S
Athena
75
6.5 x 6
Thick flesh; very firm for an
eastern type
Coarse netting; minor, netted
indentations
HR: Fom: 0-2 / Px: 1, 2US
T: S
Minerva
78
8 x 7.5
Thick flesh with good
flesh firmness
Coarse, open netting; sutures
are slight to medium and netted
HR: Px 1 / Fom: 0, 1, 2
IR: Px: 2US
MELON: WESTERN SHIPPER
Primo
77
7.5 x 7
Thick, medium-dark orange;
medium cavity
Heavy netting; sutureless;
slight indentations
HR: Px: 1, 2US
T: S
Rio Rico
79
7x7
Medium-orange; tight cavity
Medium raised dense net
HR: Px: 1, 2US
T: S
El Camino
80
7 x 6.8
Medium-dark orange;
medium-tight cavity
Medium raised dense net;
sutureless
HR: Fom: 0, 2 / Px: 1, 2US
T: S
Gold Express
83
6.1 x 5.9
Dark orange; tight cavity
Ropey, dense net; sutureless
HR: Fom: 0, 2 / Px: 1, 2US
T: S
Gold Desire
84
7 x 6.1
Nice firm, orange flesh;
closed cavity
Well-netted; slightly oval
HR: Px: 2US / Fom: 0, 2
Ovation
84
6.5 x 6
Firm, orange flesh;
medium cavity
Full net; uniform; sutureless
HR: Fom: 0, 2 / Px: 1
IR: Px: 2US
T: S
Gold Crown
85
6.2 x 6
Nice orange color,
closed cavity
Well netted, slightly oval
fruit shape
HR: Fom: 0,2
IR: Px: 1 / Px: 2US
T: S
Dark orange with a
tight cavity
Ropey, dense net; sutureless
HR: Fom:0, 1, 2/ MNSV /
Px: 1 / Px: 2US
MELON: NON-SLIP WESTERN SHIPPER
Dynamic
85 - 90
6.6 x 6
Disease abbreviation key
Gc Fom Powdery mildew caused by
Golovinomyces cichoracearum
(e.g., Erysiphe cichoracearum)
Fusarium wilt caused by specific races
of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis
MNSV Melon necrotic spot caused by melon
necrotic spot virus
S Sulfur burn caused by the application of
some sulfur-based pesticides
Px Powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera
xanthii (ex Sphaerotheca fuliginea)
HR
High resistance
IR
Intermediate resistance
TTolerance
Pathogen races are indicated to the right of the abbreviation in parentheses [example: Sf (1, 2) = powdery mildew caused by races 1 and 2US of Sphaerotheca fuliginea].
In cases where specific races or strains are not noted, the variety is resistant to some, but not necessarily all known races or strains of the pathogen. For complete
disease resistance information, please visit www.vegetables.syngenta-us.com.
For more information on Syngenta vegetable offerings,
visit www.syngentaus.com/vegetables
or contact your local Syngenta reseller or representative.
Product performance assumes disease presence.
All photos are either the property of Syngenta or used under agreement.
©2016 Syngenta.
AgriEdge Excelsior®, ROGERS®, the Alliance Frame, the Purpose Icon and the Syngenta logo are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company.
GS 406.63000 SLC 1757G 11-2016