Where do watermelons originate? Which country is the origin of watermelon

The more popular belief is that watermelons originated in Africa, where they were originally wild plants of the Cucurbitaceae family, and were later artificially cultivated to become edible watermelons.

China is the world's largest producer of watermelons, but there are different theories about the origin of watermelons. One theory is that watermelon did not originate in China, but was produced in Africa and came to the Western Regions, hence the name watermelon. Another theory originates from the legend of Shennong tasting herbs, according to legend, watermelon was found when Shennong tasted herbs, the original name was thin melon, which means melon with more water and flesh, but later it became a watermelon.

The more popular view is that the watermelon is native to the arid desert region of tropical Africa, and it was originally a wild plant of the Cucurbitaceae family, and was later artificially cultivated into edible watermelon. As early as 4,000 years ago, the Egyptians cultivated watermelons, and then gradually moved north, initially from the Mediterranean coast to northern Europe, and then southward into the Middle East, India and other places, in the fourth and fifth centuries, it first appeared in the Sahara Desert, and in the Tang Dynasty, it was introduced to Xinjiang. , so it's called "watermelon".

Archaeologists have now found watermelon seeds and leaves in Egyptian tombs; In the Kalahari semi-desert region of South Africa, to date, there are still wild watermelon seeds; Moreover, according to the characteristics of watermelon heat and drought tolerance, the microclimate environment and terroir conditions of South Africa are also very suitable for the natural cradle of watermelon's origin. As a result, watermelons are now generally believed to have originated in Africa.

The spread of watermelon first spread from Egypt to Asia Minor, along the northern shores of the Mediterranean Sea to the heart of Europe, transplanted to the United States in the mid-nineteenth century, and then into North and South America. the other was introduced eastward through Persia to India; It passed north through Afghanistan, crossed the Pamir Plateau, and along the Silk Road to the Western Regions and Huiqi, and was introduced to Chinese mainland.

The word "watermelon" in China first appeared in the "Perception of Things" compiled by the famous writer Su Shi in the Northern Song Dynasty. In the Southern Song Dynasty, there was a ** named Hong Hao, who lived in Jin for more than ten years and then returned to his hometown, he brought back watermelon seedlings to plant, and gradually spread in the north and south of the Yangtze River. Watermelon is very nutritious, containing protein, phosphoric acid, malic acid, fructose, sucrose, glucose, amino acids, carotene and other nutrients.

The protein content of watermelon seeds exceeds that of rice and wheat. Its skin, juice and seeds can be used as medicine, which has the effects of sweetness, coolness, heat, thirst quenching and diuretic, and is the best fruit to prevent heatstroke and eliminate summer.

The origin of watermelon is Africa, as early as 4,000 years ago, the Egyptians planted watermelon, and then gradually moved north, initially from the Mediterranean coast to Northern Europe, and then south into the Middle East, India and other places, in the fourth or fifth century, from the Western Regions to China, so it is called "watermelon".

The more popular view is that the native place of watermelon is in Africa, it was originally a wild plant of the Cucurbitaceae family, and then artificially cultivated into edible watermelon. As early as 4,000 years ago, the Egyptians cultivated watermelons, and then gradually moved north, first from the Mediterranean coast to northern Europe, and then south into the Middle East, India and other places.

Susan Lenner said that the genome of modern watermelon cultivation is more closely related to the watermelon of wild species in Sudan, although there are some obvious differences in genes, its flesh is also white, and not too sweet, even a little bitter, mainly used as animal feed, but the genetic origin found that they still retain the genes of the ancestors who planted watermelons, so it is believed that watermelons should come from Sudan and other places in North Africa.

Lenner also said that it is likely that farmers in the ancient Nile Valley used wild Sudanese watermelons to breed a non-bitter variant, and in the process of planting, through artificial selection and exploration of planting techniques, it gradually increased in sweetness, gradually became larger, and formed different colors of melons. Archaeologists have also found a watermelon-like fruit on the murals of Egyptian tombs that are more than 4,300 years old – cut watermelons are placed on trays along with other sweet fruits such as grapes, and watermelon seeds have also been found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun of Egypt 3,300 years ago. But Lenner believes that the ancient Nubbians living in the territory of the present-day Sultanate are more likely to be the first humans to domesticate watermelons.

The origin of watermelon is not China, but the distant African desert, at the end of the North and South Dynasties, along Central Asia and West Asia.

The Silk Road, once introduced to southern China, was called "cold melon", but it was not widely cultivated.

Watermelon originated in West Asia, and later gradually entered the cultivation of China.

The origin of watermelon is Africa. As early as 4,000 years ago, the Egyptians planted watermelons, and then gradually moved north, initially from the Mediterranean coast to Northern Europe, and then went south into the Middle East, India and other places, in the late period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, along the Silk Road in Central Asia and West Asia, from the Western Regions to China, so it is called "watermelon".

Growth habits: Watermelon likes warm, dry climate, not cold-tolerant, the optimal temperature for growth and development is 24-30 degrees, the optimal temperature for root growth and development is 30-32 degrees, and the minimum temperature for root hair occurrence is 14 degrees. Watermelons require a large temperature difference between day and night during growth and development.

Watermelon is drought-tolerant and not humidity-tolerant, and when there are many rainy days, the humidity is too high and it is susceptible to disease. Watermelons love light, and watermelons have a long growth period, so they need a lot of nutrients. With the growth of the plant, the amount of fertilizer required by the watermelon gradually increases, and reaches the maximum value when the fruit grows vigorously.

Watermelon has strong adaptability, and the sandy soil with loose soil, deep soil layer and good drainage is the best. Likes weak acidity, pH 5-7.

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Analysis: China is the world's largest watermelon producer, but watermelon does not originate in China. Watermelon is native to Africa, it was originally a wild plant of the Cucurbitaceae family, and was later artificially cultivated into edible watermelon.

As early as 4,000 years ago, the Egyptians planted watermelons, and then gradually moved north, initially from the Mediterranean coast to Northern Europe, and then went south into the Middle East, India and other places, in the fourth or fifth centuries, from the Western Regions into China, so it is called "watermelon".

According to the Ming Dynasty scientist Xu Guangqi's "Complete Book of Agricultural Administration", it is recorded: "Watermelon is planted in the Western Regions, hence the name." Ming Li Shizhen recorded in the "Compendium of Materia Medica":

According to Hu Jiaoyu, the melon seed is called watermelon. watermelons have been in China since the fifth dynasty; Nowadays, it is found in both the north and the south. This shows that watermelon has a long history of cultivation in China.