Technisem Kaolack Watermelon Seed

Technisem Kaolack Watermelon Seed has earned its reputation as the number one watermelon variety in Nigeria and it is not difficult to understand why. Walk into any major farm market in Nigeria and you will find Kaolack watermelons everywhere. Consumers love them for their sweet, crunchy red flesh and farmers love them for their consistent yields, early maturity and reliable performance season after season.

Produced by Technisem Seeds, one of the most trusted seed companies operating across West Africa, Kaolack has been the go-to watermelon variety for Nigerian smallholder and commercial farmers for many years. Whether you are farming in the north, south, east or west of Nigeria, Kaolack adapts to your growing conditions and delivers results you can count on at harvest time.

Key features of Technisem Kaolack Watermelon Seed:

• Open pollinated variety allowing seed saving for future planting
• Matures early in just 70 to 90 days from sowing giving farmers quick returns
• Produces round to oval shaped fruits with attractive light green skin and finely striped medium green markings
• Average fruit weight of 5 to 6 kilograms per fruit making them perfect for market sales
• Sweet, crunchy dark pink to red flesh that is highly appreciated by consumers across Nigeria
• Medium to strong plant vigour with good vine cover providing natural fruit protection
• High yield potential of 30 to 50 tonnes per hectare under optimal growing conditions
• Good tolerance to Anthracnose and Fusarium Wilt which are common disease threats to watermelon in Nigeria
• Performs well across a wide range of soil types with best results on well drained sandy loam soils
• Suitable for both small scale and commercial watermelon farming

Ideal growing conditions:

• Germination temperature: 27 to 32 degrees Celsius with night temperatures not below 24 degrees
• Growth temperatures: 18 to 20 degrees at night and 24 to 30 degrees during the day
• Ripening temperatures: 15 to 25 degrees Celsius
• Soil type: Sandy loam with good drainage preferred
• Soil pH: 5.8 to 6.2 for best results
• Avoid heavy clay soils, poorly drained soils or very shallow soils

How to plant:

Sow 4 to 5 seeds per hole at the recommended spacing and thin out to leave the strongest plant after germination. Use a sowing rate of approximately 350 to 400 grams per hectare. Ensure the soil is thoroughly and deeply cultivated before planting to develop a good root system and prevent soil borne diseases. Water consistently throughout the growing season and monitor closely for pests including aphids, cucumber beetles and squash vine borer moths.

How to tell when Kaolack watermelons are ready to harvest:

• The ground spot where the fruit rests on soil turns buttery yellow
• Leaves and tendrils near the fruit stem begin to dry out
• The fruit produces a dull sound when tapped
• A slight cracking sound is heard when the whole fruit is pressed gently
• Flesh colour is fully developed and characteristic of the variety