Watermelons are one of the most famous products from the fields of Idanha-a-Nova, and starting next year they will grow completely red and seedless.
This new variety has been undergoing tests during the summer and the first specimens were harvested in the past few weeks by Diana Soares, a student finishing her studies at the Agricultural College of Castelo Branco, in Portugal.
The research paper consists in the study of seedless watermelons for the firm Hortas de Idanha, in partnership with local producers.
The request for a variety without the hassle of seeds was made "by a supermarket chain, interested in acquiring them," explains Joaquim Soares, from the firm Hortal de Idanha.
The goal, according to Soares, is for "seedless watermelons to be available for distribution next summer." It is a fleshy fruit without any black spots, which will be more expensive than the traditional fruit, taking into account that "the germination process is more difficult and the cost of the plant is consequently higher."