Consumer demand for watermelon varies globally, with preferences shaped by fruit size, rind colour, and taste. In Australia, the market is exclusively seedless, and consumers favour deep red interiors and olive-green rinds. The industry is almost entirely domestic, with Queensland and New South Wales as the leading production regions, though watermelon is cultivated nationwide.
Watermelon production in Australia operates year-round. "Every day of the year, there's a seed being propagated and a watermelon crop being harvested. It just moves from north to south and back again," said Leith Plevey, cucurbits product specialist at Syngenta.
To address agronomic challenges, grafting has become more common, accounting for about half of Australia's watermelon output over the past decade. Grafting combines a scion and rootstock to improve plant vigour and yield. The University of California reports it can increase fruit production by up to 25 per cent.
Plevey explained: "The ultimate objective is to improve yield. First, by managing soil pathogens, such as Fusarium, to improve crop health, which in turn can increase yield and uniformity, especially during our cooler months. It can increase the size of the first pick and reduce the size decline between the first and last pick. Instead of starting with a 9-kilogram fruit and finishing with a 5-kilogram fruit, they might pick a 10-kilogram fruit and then finish with a seven and a half kilogram fruit, which incrementally improves their yield with each harvest."
Australian growers face persistent disease pressure, including anthracnose, fusarium, and powdery mildew. Integrated pest management programs remain central to production strategies. Syngenta varieties such as Javelin, Powerhouse, and Crisp Delight are used widely, offering resistance to several pathogens.
For Australian growers, maintaining consumer appeal while managing plant health and productivity remains the focus. Collaboration between producers and research teams continues to guide the adoption of practices such as grafting and integrated pest management to sustain watermelon output.
Source: Syngenta