The watermelon industry is extremely popular in Georgia, with watermelons grown on an estimated 20,000 acres per year. Still, consistently making a profit requires constant innovation and hard work.
Picking, grading, packing and shipping melons remains the most costly aspect of watermelon production. Irrigating fields and applying newer, more effective fungicides to combat the diseases of watermelon are also two of the more expensive input costs.
Scientists with UGA Extension and the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences conduct research trials to aid farmers in producing a cost-efficient and high-yielding watermelon crop.
Our Programs and Services
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Lab Testing and Analysis Services Testing for soil, plant tissue, water quality, animal waste, feeds and forages, pesticides, and much more!
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On-Site and Telephone Consultation Available in many county offices for ag producers.
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Pesticide Safety Education Program Topics include pest identification, storage and disposal, pesticide drift and runoff prevention, water quality protection, and food safety.
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Production Meetings Updates on local issues for growers and producers.
Popular Publications
- Commercial Watermelon Production (B 996) Watermelon is a warm-season crop related to cantaloupe, squash, cucumber and pumpkin. Watermelons can be grown on any well-drained soil throughout Georgia but are particularly well adapted to the Coas…
- Fusarium Wilt of Watermelon in Georgia (B 1485) Watermelon production faces many challenges in Georgia. The warm, humid climate favors numerous foliar diseases. Because of the long history of watermelon production in Georgia, soilborne diseases suc…
- Managing Root-Knot Nematodes in Georgia Watermelons (B 1529) Root-knot nematodes are highly adaptable, obligate plant parasites (parasites that cannot reach adulthood without a host) that attack plant roots and establish a prolonged relationship with their host…
- Water Use and Irrigation Management for Vegetables in Georgia Series: Water Use and Irrigation Management for Vegetables in Georgia: Watermelon (Citrullis lanatus) (C 1183) This circular contains the fundamentals of watermelon irrigation scheduling using the crop water demand method. Decisions regarding the timing, frequency, and amount of water required for a crop are s…
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Fusarium Rapid Test
UGA scientists have developed a faster way to diagnose Fusarium wilt.
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Protecting Seasonal Workers
Increase in COVID-19 infections among seasonal workers in Florida puts Georgia producers on alert.
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Sunscalding
UGA Extension urges growers to rotate chemical applications consisting of calcium nitrate to protect their crops from the sun.
| Top Watermelon Producers | |
|---|---|
| County Name | Value |
| Crisp | $17,107,200 |
| Turner | 13,491,000 |
| Telfair | 12,498,200 |
| Tift | 12,000,000 |
| Colquitt | 8,500,000 |
| Worth | 8,500,000 |
| Wilcox | 8,460,000 |
| Cook | 7,055,000 |
| Tattnall | 6,169,608 |
| Berrien | 6,165,000 |
| State Total: | $142,669,420 |
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Displaying farm gate values for 2022. Values are tallied in October for the previous year. |
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