15/09/25Expert Insights
Year-Round Watermelon Production
The Australian watermelon market is almost entirely domestic, meaning growers, nurseries and seed providers like Syngenta Vegetable Seeds, all strive for watermelon varieties that have the traits consumers demand, while delivering agronomics growers need.
05/12/24Grower Stories
POWERHOUSE watermelon a strong late-season finisher with consistent size, colour and texture, for hot climates
Ryan Swindley, a watermelon and sugar cane farmer from Home Hill, closed out 2024 harvesting commercial blocks of POWERHOUSE and it more than lived up to its name. Bred in the United States and selected for the Australian market after extensive trials, POWERHOUSE packs a distinctive olive-green skin, Crimson Sweet stripe and moreish texture. Ryan liked that the variety is “very consistent” in size and was more than happy with how it has yielded. “It’s been quite a difficult market the last few weeks, with low prices and excess fruit on the market, but we’ve been able to capitalise on sending fruit to the chain stores in particular, thanks in part to the [consistent] size of Powerhouse”, he said.Having previously grown POWERHOUSE in smaller demonstration trials, he said “it seems to be quite straight forward to grow” and is eager to “finish with POWERHOUSE again next year”. “We’ve seen that it has good sugars early, it cuts really well and has more of a traditional watermelon…
04/11/25Syngenta Updates
Managing and Preventing ToBRFV in Australia – Syngenta’s Ongoing Commitment
On 29 May 2025, the National Management Group confirmed that eradication of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) from Australia was no longer technically feasible. This highly infectious virus poses a serious risk to tomato production, impacting yield, fruit quality, and market access. Its prevention and management now rely on coordinated effort from growers, industry bodies, and suppliers, with strict adherence to hygiene and phytosanitary protocols.Recognising the urgency of the situation, Syngenta Australia launched its ToBRFV Online Resource Centre in July 2025. This dedicated platform provides growers and industry representatives with critical, up-to-date information about the virus, along with practical, downloadable resources to help implement rigorous on-farm hygiene practices. From cleaning and disinfection guides to biosecurity checklists, the resource centre is designed to support proactive management and slow the spread of ToBRFV.In addition to education and awareness, Syngenta has…
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