Study On Development And Nutrient Accumulation Of Seeds In Edible Seed Watermelon

Watermelon seed as one of the traditional brand-name export commodities, so far, theresearch of the dynamic changes on the microstructure and the major nutrients inwatermelon seeds during development were rarely. The detailed development andaccumulation of major nutrients in seeds in “Jingyuandaban” edible seed watermelon wereexamined in this work. The results showed that:The experimental observations revealed that testa was preferentially developed ascompared to the seed kernel. The period ranging from5th to10th day after blooming wascritical for differentiation of various layers in testa. The basic shape of various testa layerswas formed10days after blooming, followed by further differentiation and growth. The seedkernel was filled with thin-walled cells and nutrient content was low within0-10days afterblooming of the edible seed watermelon, and nutrients started to accumulate from15th dayafter blooming, and the portrait of leaves appeared5days after this time point.By comparing the difference in shape and physicochemical properties of seeds and fruitof edible seed watermelon in different growing periods and after-ripping, it was observedthat the rapid growth of fruit appeared10days after blooming, and its rapid growth lastedapproximately15days. An increase in seed kernel weight of watermelon lasted until the fruitgot matured. Testa weigh reached its maximum value as the final size of watermelon wasreached. It was evident that the rapid elevation of seed kernel weight accompanied withdevelopment of both fruit and testa. Increase in seed weight after watermelon reached itsfinal size was a result of the increase in seed kernel.The main nutrients of edible seed watermelon seeds in different growing periods andafter-ripping, in different growing periods were measured. The results showed that forwatermelons without undergoing full-ripping stage, the basic portrait of their seeds wasformed25days after blooming, followed by rapid accumulation of major nutrients in seeds.Differently, the basic shape of seed was formed15days after blooming for those undergoingfull-ripping stage. Proteins and fats are dominant nutrients of watermelon. The carbohydratesdirectly transported from stems and leaves to seeds would be accumulated.Acorrelation relationship between the basis properties of fruit and seed of watermelons revealed that, the total weight of seeds was significantly positively correlated with theirnumbers for a given watermelon. The fruit weight was significantly positively correlatedwith the total weight and number of seeds. Negative correlation relationships betweenthousand-seed weight with seed number and its producing rate, and between fruit weight andseed producing rate were observed.