Bob Fanning wrote:
>   I am pretty much in the
> dark as to why "seedless" fruits produce "meat" when the seed are not
> developed.   Do Parthenocarpic fruits require pollination?   I know, in the
> case of "seedless" watermelons, Parks Seed Co. recommends a pollinator be
> planted with the "seedless" melons.
>
> Any help wpuild be appreciated.
>
> Bob Fanning
> Madison Co. Al
> [log in to unmask]

        Good question, Bob.
        For the most part, parthenocarpic fruits do require pollination. In the
case of seedless waermelons, the recommendation is for twice as many
colonies as you would expect for seeded varieties.
        Seedless watermelons set seed. However, soon after the seed is set, it
is aborted. Without setting seed the Fruit would appear just as any
other unpollinated fruit.
        some extension services are lax in explaining this to the farmers they
are encouraging to grow these fruits and they will attempt to grow them
without honeybees. Usually with an awful crop.

        Thom Bradley
        Chesapeake, VA