Eight varieties of Higo Green melon, a variety traditionally unique to Japan, are being evaluated at the Washington State University facility for their ability to grow in the Pacific Northwest as well as for their sweetness and texture compared to the market-standard variety of cantaloupe.
This year’s melon trials follow up on experiments done last summer in which eight melon varieties were compared by size, texture, color and taste.
The Matsui Seed Co. Ltd. opted to further understand how long it would take for fruit of the new varieties to reach maturity in the northwest region of the US and how they compare to other melons commonly found in grocery stores along the West Coast.
Matsui Seed Co. president, Kunihiko Matsui, is a WSU graduate who was passionate about working with his alma mater to help introduce new varieties to the U.S.
Source: news.wsu.edu