Water melon - natural way to disseminate seeds?

[CaptainPanic]

I was wondering if anyone knows how a wild water melon would naturally disseminate its seeds? According to wikipedia, wild fruits are up to 20 cm, so what would eat those? Google left me without many answers, and no good sources at all... so maybe one of our experts knows better sources (or someone with superior google prowess can supply me an answer).

 

Btw, this is just out of curiosity, as we're eating lots of water melon in summer time.

[StringJunky]

They originate from the African Kalahari Desert area and the seeds are dispersed by animals eating the fruit and seeds because they are a useful source of water.

 

Try 'Watermelon + seed dispersal' in your searches.

[Robittybob1]

Do they survive the digestive tract? I noticed certain pasture species seed passed through the digestive tract of cattle, the same could be for water melon seed in humans.

[StringJunky]

It would appear so.

[Robittybob1]

It would appear so.

When you eat a watermelon do you chew the seeds? Not many seeds would go undigested in my gut.

Pumpkins etc just propagate from seeds left where others have rotted down. I know tomato seeds survive the digestive tract of humans but what evidence that is the case for watermelons?

Edited June 7, 2015 by Robittybob1

[John Cuthber]

When you eat a watermelon do you chew the seeds? Not many seeds would go undigested in my gut.

Pumpkins etc just propagate from seeds left where others have rotted down. I know tomato seeds survive the digestive tract of humans but what evidence that is the case for watermelons?

That's one of those experiments that's perfectly simple and not even expensive, but I don't think anyone wants to do.

[Phi for All]

When you eat a watermelon do you chew the seeds? Not many seeds would go undigested in my gut.

Pumpkins etc just propagate from seeds left where others have rotted down. I know tomato seeds survive the digestive tract of humans but what evidence that is the case for watermelons?

 

Perhaps humans aren't the main disseminators of wild watermelon seeds.

[StringJunky]

 

Perhaps humans aren't the main disseminators of wild watermelon seeds.

 

 

History of watermelons

The origin of watermelons is in Africa where they are highly valued and used as a source of liquid in dry seasons when water availability is low. Many ancient cultures had this fruit as a convenient means to transport water from one place to another. In the Kalahari Desert, it is a plant that grows wild , being considered as the main water resource for both the man and the animals.

 

The fact that it grows in dry tropical regions is clearly evident in its roots that have adapted perfectly to this type of weather. Like many desert plants, it has shallow roots (40 to 50 cm) but rather extend along the ground (almost 1 m of stem), allowing them to quickly absorb the surface moisture or water fall. (See plant adaptations)

 

Apparently, it was precisely in the Kalahari Desert where this species originated as David Livingston discovered in his trip to North Africa. From this point, it was spreading throughout Africa, because settlers transported its fruits and seeds across Africa. From there, it was exported to Europe, Asia and America.

[Phi for All]

That's the trouble with words like "wild" and "natural". As soon as humans start cultivating them, or transporting them for trade, they aren't "wild" watermelons. Robittybob1 was talking about humans not being able to disperse digested watermelon seeds.

[Robittybob1]

 

Perhaps humans aren't the main disseminators of wild watermelon seeds.

That could be right. Just thinking about it if I fed pumpkins to the cows I don't get wild pumpkins growing the next year.

But I seem to recollect that rats would bring the seeds back to their nest and that's where pumpkins grow too, in disused places away from grazing animals.

I haven't grown watermelons but just think they are somewhat similar to a pumpkin.

Edited June 8, 2015 by Robittybob1

[StringJunky]

That could be right. Just thinking about it if I fed pumpkins to the cows I don't get wild pumpkins growing the next year.

But I seem to recollect that rats would bring the seeds back to their nest and that's where pumpkins grow too, in disused places away from grazing animals.

Cows are ruminants so probably don't pass through intact... and they chew the cud.

[Robittybob1]

Cows are ruminants so probably don't pass through intact... and they chew the cud.

But lots of other seeds do pass through cattle. Little round seeds like the seeds of clover especially. Brassica seeds must as well for wild turnip seems to keep popping up.

[CaptainPanic]

My question was really which animal would eat wild water melons in the Kalahari... but in good SFN style, a lot of interesting info popped up here because I (deliberately) kept the question quite broad.

 

After some searching myself, it appears that multiple animals eat the wild water melons, including even carnivores:

... providing essential water for everything from antelopes to hyenas to people. ...

[overtone]

I'd bet money that wild watermelon seeds will sprout from hyena feces.

 

The cool thing here is that a dog can probably tell whether a watermelon is ripe. I hadn't thought of that, in the farmer's market trips.

Edited June 10, 2015 by overtone

[Harold Squared]

Coyotes are known to eat watermelon, as well as blackberries, plums, cantaloupes and persimmons. Good point about ruminants being hard on seeds but the mesquite seeds do all right, the seedpods are actually fruit with a noticeable sweet taste. Cattle love this other African native and the seeds go right through them.

I'd bet money that wild watermelon seeds will sprout from hyena feces.

 

The cool thing here is that a dog can probably tell whether a watermelon is ripe. I hadn't thought of that, in the farmer's market trips.

I think I would not bet against you, makes me wish I had a dog again.

My question was really which animal would eat wild water melons in the Kalahari... but in good SFN style, a lot of interesting info popped up here because I (deliberately) kept the question quite broad.

 

After some searching myself, it appears that multiple animals eat the wild water melons, including even carnivores:

... providing essential water for everything from antelopes to hyenas to people. ...

It would seem that a lot of "carnivores" are perfectly willing to vary their diets depending upon what food is available, a perfectly reasonable survival strategy when I think about it. Edited July 6, 2015 by Harold Squared

[J.C.MacSwell]

That's one of those experiments that's perfectly simple and not even expensive, but I don't think anyone wants to do.

I'm not sure I wanted to, but I think I successfully experimented on corn.

[Greg H.]

I know from experience that skunks and raccoons will also eat cultivated melons, including watermelons, cantaloupe, and similar. I don't think 100% of the seeds survive, but you don't need 100% fecundity to get new plants.

I'm not sure I wanted to, but I think I successfully experimented on corn.

I think everyone has, at some point.

[CPG]

If anyone does decide to try the proposed experiment, make sure you are starting with seeds that are actually viable. Many of us have become accustomed to only eating watermelons with seeds that are sterile to begin with. These would be the seedless watermelons, which mainly produce those white soft seeds along with the occasional dark hard seed. These plants are made by crossing diploid and tetraploid plants. That results in triploid offspring, so naturally these plants with 3 copies of each chromosome have trouble evenly dividing them into two cells as they undergo meiosis to form gametes.

 

I have heard that the diploid lines are the heartiest and easiest to maintain... Happy experimenting!!

[Moontanman]

The animals that disperse some seeds no longer exist and many plants have evolved seeds that survive the digestive tracts of many animals Peppers, for instance are evolved to be dispersed by birds, the Capsicum that makes them hot has little to no effect on birds. Mammoths are thought to have dispersed avocado seeds, now humans do it. Berries like dewberries or blackberries are dispersed in the excrement of birds. Where i live if you want dewberries the best place to look is under power lines or fences where birds naturally congregate to rest.

[John Cuthber]

I'm not sure I wanted to, but I think I successfully experimented on corn.

Raw?

[overtone]

The animals that disperse some seeds no longer exist

The Osage Orange tree seems to be missing its seed dispersal guy.

 

And it's not alone: https://www.americanforests.org/magazine/article/trees-that-miss-the-mammoths/

Edited July 12, 2015 by overtone

[Bill Angel]

My question was really which animal would eat wild water melons in the Kalahari... but in good SFN style, a lot of interesting info popped up here because I (deliberately) kept the question quite broad.

 

After some searching myself, it appears that multiple animals eat the wild water melons, including even carnivores:

 

There are elephants that roam the Kalahari. When the circus came to town the handlers put on an exibition of the elephants being fed. One item on their menu that day was watermelons. Spectators got to watch the elephants stepping on the watermelons and then eating the pieces.

Edited July 12, 2015 by Bill Angel

[Dodecyl Sulfobetaine]

interesting topic! I like eating watermelon too. I remembered when I was a child ,I will leave some seeds in the outdoor ,some of the seeds will grow up itself.