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Seedless watermelons are triploid (3 sets of chromosomes). They are created by crossing a tetraploid (4 sets of chromosomes) with a diploid (2 sets of chromosomes). The resulting triploid plants produce flowers, fruit, and pollen. However, the pollen is non-viable; it cannot pollinate itself or other flowers. The fruit development process still requires pollination to trigger cell division and fruit set.
So, growers must plant a diploid (seeded) watermelon nearby whose sole purpose is to provide viable pollen, ergo a pollinizer. These male plants are usually morphologically different as they are not harvested.
Commercial recommendations:
Planting System: Separate-row system
Plant 1 full row of pollinizer for every 2–3 rows of seedless melons.
In-row / mixed planting:
Alternate every 3rd seedless transplant with a pollinizer in the same row.
Bee activity requirement:
1–2 strong hives per acre are needed for adequate fruit set. Bees must move between both types.
A pollinizer should produce large quantities of strong, viable pollen; flower at the same time as the seedless variety, and not out-compete the seedless vines. Some pollinizers are standard-seeded watermelons, but there are also dedicated mini-pollinizer lines developed only for pollen production. These make small fruit, so they do not take up too much space or attention from the main crop.
It is important to note that pollinizers do not affect the fruit quality of seedless melons; they simply trigger fruit growth.
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