How are seedless watermelons produced?

Crossing plants to create sterile triploid fruit

Melons Knowledge Quiz – Test the Details

Japanese farmers grow cube-shaped watermelons inside glass boxes to sell as decorative gifts, and this melons knowledge quiz explores the juicy gourd family. Learn about watermelon's African origins, Hokkaido's Yubari King melons, cantaloupes, honeydews and why melons are relatives of cucumbers and pumpkins.

Start Melons Knowledge Quiz

🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Water
About how much of a watermelon is water?
Origin
Where did watermelons originate?
Square
Why do Japanese farmers grow square watermelons?
Yubari
Which Hokkaido melon can sell for thousands of dollars a pair?
Family
Which family do melons belong to?
Cantaloupe
Which Italian town gave its name to the cantaloupe?
Netting
What is the net pattern on some melons?
Seedless
How are seedless watermelons produced?
Ripe
What sign suggests a watermelon is ripe?
China
Which country produces the most watermelons?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: About how much of a watermelon is water?
Answer: About 92%
Hence its name.
Q2: Where did watermelons originate?
Answer: Africa
Egyptian tombs show them.
Q3: Why do Japanese farmers grow square watermelons?
Answer: As decorative gifts
They grow in glass boxes.
Q4: Which Hokkaido melon can sell for thousands of dollars a pair?
Answer: Yubari King
Records topped $40,000.
Q5: Which family do melons belong to?
Answer: Gourd family
Cucumbers and pumpkins are relatives.
Q6: Which Italian town gave its name to the cantaloupe?
Answer: Cantalupo
It was a papal estate.
Q7: What is the net pattern on some melons?
Answer: Corky tissue on the rind
Muskmelons have it.
Q8: How are seedless watermelons produced?
Answer: Crossing plants to create sterile triploid fruit
White seed coats remain.
Q9: What sign suggests a watermelon is ripe?
Answer: A creamy yellow field spot
Many also tap it.
Q10: Which country produces the most watermelons?
Answer: China
It grows most of the world's crop.

Melons Knowledge Quiz – Juicy Members of the Gourd Family

Melons belong to the gourd family, alongside cucumbers, pumpkins and squashes. Watermelons originated in Africa, while muskmelons such as cantaloupes and honeydews have roots in Asia and Africa.

Watermelons are about 92 percent water, making them refreshing in summer. China produces most of the world's watermelons, and seedless varieties are made by crossing plants to create sterile fruit. A creamy field spot is a sign of ripeness.

In Japan, melons are luxury gifts. Hokkaido's Yubari King melons can sell for huge sums, and farmers grow square watermelons in glass boxes for decoration. The cantaloupe takes its name from Cantalupo, a former papal estate in Italy.

What This Quiz Teaches

Food lovers and gardeners will enjoy these questions.

How much water melons hold
Where watermelons originated
Why square melons exist
What Yubari King is
How seedless melons are made

Did You Know?

Bitter melon is used in Asian cooking.
Horned melon is called kiwano.
Watermelon rind can be pickled.
Canary melons are bright yellow.
Melons grow on vines.