Tiny watermelons, sweet and with red or orange flesh, can become a choice for those who want an individual fruit without waste and easy to produce.

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 17/05/2026 at 01:03

2 people reacted to this.

Ultra-small watermelons, weighing 80 to 200 grams, were developed by a mother and daughter using a non-GMO technique to facilitate cultivation in greenhouses, vertical farms, and individual fruit markets.

Watermelons the size of chicken eggs were obtained by a pair of breeders who used non-GMO chemical mutation to reduce the fruits without removing core characteristics, such as sweet flavor, red, orange flesh, and firmness for handling.

The proposal arose to tackle an old limitation of the crop. Watermelons have always been difficult in vertical farming systems and greenhouses due to the extensive vine growth and large fruit size.

Smaller watermelons for greenhouses and vertical farms

The breeding program was initiated in 2021 by high school researcher Delaney Raptis and her mother. The goal was to create ultra-small fruits, capable of better adapting to high-density environments.

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Reduced size also targets single servings

The focus of the work was to make it possible to cultivate watermelon in high-density greenhouses and vertical farms, where maximizing production per square meter is a priority for the system.

In addition to facilitating this type of cultivation, the smaller size of the fruits can reduce food waste. The miniature watermelons can also cater to the single-serving fruit market, as they are small and individual.

The breeders observed that the seeds of these watermelons are smaller than those found in normal-sized fruits. A question remains about the rind: whether it is edible or needs to be removed.

Tiny watermelons, sweet and with red or orange flesh, can become a choice for those who want an individual fruit without waste and easy to produce.

Ultra-small watermelons, weighing 80 to 200 grams, were developed by a mother and daughter using a non-GMO technique to facilitate cultivation in greenhouses, vertical farms, and individual fruit markets.

Smaller watermelons for greenhouses and vertical farms

Reduced size also targets single servings

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Tiny watermelons, sweet and with red or orange flesh, can become a choice for those who want an individual fruit without waste and easy to produce.

Ultra-small watermelons, weighing 80 to 200 grams, were developed by a mother and daughter using a non-GMO technique to facilitate cultivation in greenhouses, vertical farms, and individual fruit markets.

Smaller watermelons for greenhouses and vertical farms

Reduced size also targets single servings

While a traditional school may take several days just to raise walls, in Malawi a 3D-printed school had its structure ready in 18 hours, welcomed children in June, and showed a new solution to the lack of classrooms.

Material once seen as a poor man’s choice returns as a climate bet, with red clay replacing part of the gray concrete in modern buildings, hospitals, houses, and a cultural center that transforms tradition into a solution against urban heat.

Study solves great ancient mystery: remains of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, are identified in Vergina and resolves the enigma of the Macedonian royal tombs that had lasted half a century.

Larger than the Toyota Hilux and with a towing capacity of 3.5 tons, the new MG U9 2026 features a 2.5 turbodiesel engine, 520 Nm, 4×4 traction with three locks, and an almost full-size build.

Portugal installs two giant underwater sockets to draw water from the Atlantic and create a €107.9 million desalination plant in the Algarve capable of producing 43.2 million liters of potable water per day with ocean intake 2 km from the coast.

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