Drought is a major abiotic stress and has become common at alarming levels worldwide including USA, South America, the Middle East, Russia and the Far East.
Integration of novel drought tolerant varieties with precision agriculture technologies (such as continuous soil water content monitoring, advanced irrigation features, drones with field pictures and heat remote sensors) will increase irrigation water use efficiency, reduce the cost associated with irrigation management, increase the yield of high quality fruits, and lead to educated farm decisions.

In the last decade, Origene Seeds watermelon-breeding program has focused on drought tolerance aspects, together with introgression of traits from wild watermelon genotypes to cultivated ones. As a result of this pioneering research work, a series of novel and unique watermelon varieties have been made commercially available, with more than 30% water utilization compared to standard commercial varieties. In other words, one can irrigate with 30% less water during growth cycle and still maintain the yield and the quality achieved under regular full irrigation rule. Farmers growing Origene Seeds unique varieties save about 30% of irrigation and fertilization (quantity and cost) and still yield fruit of the same quality and quantity.
 

Watermelon seedless variety “Essence” adapted to semi dryland farming.

Origene Seeds is an innovative international seed company, active in research, plant breeding, seed production and processing, sales & marketing of hybrid vegetable varieties.
The company's strategy is to develop new hybrids with novel traits of quality, taste, flavor, uniformity, high nutrition values, shelf life, all combined with high yield and environmental friendly. The hybrid varieties are suitable for the commercial outdoor crops or greenhouse growers as well for plant raisers, for the professional sectors.

This article is part of the digital issue - Agriculture in Arid Zones