Melon CROP GUIDE

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.

Committed to Excellence from the field to the table

Partnering for SuccessOur 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 day-to-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.

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.

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-the-art 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.

Naples Research Station

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.

Pasco Seed Processing Facility

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.

Woodland Research Station

This station serves as a hub for cereal, corn, cucurbit and fruiting vegetable research in the California Central Valley and is home to the Syngenta Cucurbit Research Center of Excellence.

Nampa Research Station

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.

Research Triangle

Park, NC

Syngenta Research Stations

Syngenta SeedProcessing Facilities

Proud ToSupport FFA

Market leaders in the East

AccoladeAccolade is an eastern shipper variety that features improved fruit quality and a comprehensive disease resistance package for early to main season plantings.

AstoundAstound 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.

• Tight seed cavity with firm, orange flesh

• Medium netted exterior

• Enhanced vine strength

• 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 for extended shelf life

• Strong and vigorous plant to stand up to field stress and resist fruit cracking

• 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

AthenaThe 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.

• 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

AphroditeAphrodite 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

Bringing new innovation to the West

Sweet SunriseSweet Sunrise is a long shelf life variety that produces fruit of desirable size and consistent quality with excellent flavor. Its enhanced disease resistance package and vigorous plant make Sweet Sunrise an ideal variety for early planting slots.

• Small, closed cavity

• Orange flesh with firm texture Very dense netting

• Vigorous plant

• Enhanced disease resistance package

• Bred for resistance to cotton aphid

• Extended shelf life to meet market needs

• Excels in earlier planting slots

Sweet SpringSweet Spring is a long shelf life Harper type variety that produces round fruit with dense netting, a tight seed cavity and dark orange flesh. This variety features a significantly enhanced disease resistance package and offers improved fruit quality.• Dark orange, firm flesh with unique

flavor profile

• Small, closed cavity and strong, dense netting

• Enhanced disease resistance package

• Improved fruit quality for high consumer appeal

• Extended shelf life that meets market needs

• Reduced waste due to less shrinkage in storage

Gold CrownA 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.

• 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 ExpressHigh-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

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.syngentaus.com/vegetables.

Gc Powdery mildew caused by Golovinomyces cichoracearum (e.g., Erysiphe cichoracearum)

Fom 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

T Tolerance

Disease abbreviation key

Technical data: melonVariety Approx. days

to maturityAverage 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: 1T: S

Accolade 73 7.5 x 6.7 Small tight cavity with orange flesh

Oval, netted HR: Px: 1 / Px: 2US / Fom: 0,1,2IR: Ag / Px: 3,5T: S

Astound 75 7.5 x 6.7 Small tight cavity with orange flesh

Oval, netted HR: Px: 1 / Px: 2US / Fom: 0,1,2IR: Ag / Px: 3,5T: 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, 2UST: 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, 2UST: S

Rio Rico 79 7 x 7 Medium-orange; tight cavity Medium raised dense net HR: Px: 1, 2UST: S

Gold Express

83 6.1 x 5.9 Dark orange; tight cavity Ropey, dense net; sutureless HR: Fom: 0, 2 / Px: 1, 2UST: 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: 1IR: Px: 2UST: S

Gold Crown 85 6.2 x 6 Nice orange color, closed cavity

Well netted, slightly oval fruit shape

HR: Fom: 0,2IR: Px: 1 / Px: 2UST: S

MELON: HARPER TYPE

Sweet Spring 90 7 x 6 Small closed cavity with orange flesh

Well netted HR: Px: 1/Px: 2US / Fom: 0, 1, 2 / MNSVIR: Ag / Px: 3.5T: S

Sweet Sunrise 100 7 x 6 Small closed cavity with orange flesh

Well netted HR: Px: 1/Px: 2US / Fom: 0, 1, 2 / MNSVIR: Ag / Px: 3.5T: S

Product performance assumes disease presence.

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GS 2060_3_6 SLC 1757H 10-2017