Watermelon production yields up, quality down across the state

Texas watermelon production is expected to be average with better yields but lower quality fruit than last season so far, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.

Juan Anciso, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horticulturist, Weslaco, and Larry Stein, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horticulturist, Uvalde, said the 2023 melon season was shaping up to be average in the Rio Grande Valley and Winter Garden regions. So, there should be plenty of Texas-grown watermelons to pick from at grocery stores, local farmers markets and roadside melon sellers.

Last year, watermelon production in the Rio Grande Valley dipped 17% compared to the season prior, Anciso said.

Watermelon acreage increased this year in South Texas, Anciso said. Fruit yields were about average while quality was lower due to consistent rains throughout the month of May. Producers were yielding 45,000-50,000 pounds per acre. Watermelon fields reaching 50,000 pounds per acre are average for the Rio Grande Valley.

At the beginning of the season, producers worried about drought and water supplies, but since May 1 the rains have created quality issues, Anciso said. Rainfall as the fruit developed on the vine led to lower brix measurements than in recent years, which impacted flavor and sweetness. Brix is the measurement of sugar in fruit.

Last year, dry conditions led to lower yields, but brix counts were very high, around 12, compared to this year where brix were around 10, Anciso said.

The rains also led to some issues with diseases like downy mold and fusarium, he said, which in turn also led to lower quality fruit. 

“Yields are better than last year, but quality is down, and I think if you asked growers, they’d say it’s average across the board,” Anciso said. “Harvest is wrapping up in the Valley, and there are more watermelons making it to the market.”

Stein said conditions were looking up in the Winter Garden region after rains have improved soil moisture levels. Milder temperatures and moisture created ideal growing conditions for most crops including watermelons and cantaloupes.

Watermelons were vining, blooming and being pollinated by bees, but could be slightly behind schedule due to cooler temperatures this spring, Stein said. Cantaloupes are being harvested, and quality looks very good, while the watermelon harvest is about a month away.

Most Texas growers look to market their melons in the weeks leading up to the Fourth of July holiday, when sales typically peak. Stein said fruit sets looked good this year, which could indicate an above-average crop for producers.

“Other than a few issues, I can’t believe how well they are looking right now,” he said. “Melons like it hot and dry, but the milder temperatures and moisture has them looking very good.”

Overall, conditions are a far cry from last year when early triple-digit temperatures, high winds and drought contributed to a subpar year in the major watermelon-producing areas of Texas. High temperatures and winds negatively impacted pollination, which hurt fruit sets. Bees become less active in high temperatures and windy conditions while pollen viability begins to degrade in high temperatures.

Aside from monitoring and treating diseases due to moisture, Stein said some commercial growers were hit by hailstorms and high winds that led them to replant entire fields. But those fields looked good now. In the Valley, Anciso said growers had fewer issues with labor shortages during harvest that led to fruit being left in fields last year.

Prices were relatively static to weaker due to an abundance of melons coming in from Florida, which produced a bumper crop this year, Anciso said.

“It just seems like everything contributed to an average season,” Anciso said. “Yields were better, but quality and prices are a little lower compared to last year when we had low yields and tight supplies but high quality and no workers to harvest. When you look at the numbers, it just adds up to average.”

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

CENTRAL

Areas received more rain and temperatures were milder. Soil moisture levels were adequate to surplus. Pastures were improving with warm-season grasses starting to grow. Rangeland and pasture conditions were poor to excellent. Cattle were in good condition and the calf market was stronger. Producers were cutting and baling hay fields. First hay cuttings looked fair to very good. Pastures were full of weeds, including some species not seen in years. Wheat harvest continued with yields ranging from 29-80 bushels per acre with many producers reporting 70 bushels per acre. Some wheat and oat harvests were slowed by rainfall. Corn and grain sorghum looked good. Cotton development was slow with the continued wetness. Livestock fly numbers increased.

ROLLING PLAINS

Almost all areas reported rain, which improved soil profiles and raised water levels in livestock tanks. Native and improved warm-season pasture grass showed improvement. Heavier rains in some areas slowed or stopped wheat harvest until ground conditions dry. Cotton planting began in fields that were accessible.

COASTAL BEND

Scattered showers and warmer temperatures benefited area pastures and crops. Late plantings and replantings looked good. Corn fields looked above average in most areas, except in low-lying areas with excess moisture. Most corn was in the dough stage. Sorghum also looked good with above average yields anticipated. Cotton started to square. Some cotton fields were still behind as the wet weather and cloudy days delayed accumulative heat units. Rice was doing well with most fields going into flood stage. 

Weed and insect control were ongoing as needed. Rangelands and pastures looked good after the recent rains. Hay fields were being cut and baled with good production reported. Hay fields were fertilized after this first cutting and baling. Livestock continued to find plenty of forage to eat and were in excellent condition.

EAST

Hay production was in full swing across the district. Some producers continued to cut and bale the last of their ryegrass. A few counties reported dry conditions. Pasture and rangeland conditions were good. Subsoil and topsoil conditions were adequate. Cattle markets remained