Rakesh Kumar and Todd C. Wehner
Department of Horticultural Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7609
The United States the fourth largest producer of watermelon in the world after China, Turkey, and Iran (5). Yields are highest in China and United States and somewhat lower in the other major producing countries. Watermelon is a major vegetable crop in the U.S. The total area has changed from 76 thousand hectare in 1998 to 65 thousand hectares in 2007 (19). However, production has increased from 1.7 million Mg in 1998 to 1.9 million Mg in 2007 (14). At present, the total value of watermelon production in the United States is $476 million. Over 80% of the watermelon production is concentrated in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Texas, California, and North Carolina, where the temperatures are warmer and the growing season is longer than states located in northern latitudes (10).