Syngenta has been a leader in the sugar baby watermelon category and will strengthen that position with the launch of a new variety in 2026. The new watermelon, Bahama, comes in just a bit smaller than other sugar baby offerings, which is right in line with consumer preferences.
“We are excited to add Bahama to our sugar baby portfolio,” says Rebecca Wente, Syngenta Cucurbit Product Specialist. “In our trials, Bahama has been averaging about 10 to 14 pounds, which is quite a bit smaller than some of our earlier sugar baby offerings.
“Another thing that really makes Bahama stand out is its internal quality. It has deep, dark red flesh and a firmer flesh, along with a bit thicker rind. In our trials, it has had very low internal defects like hollow heart, hard seed coats and regrowth. We have seen even less defects than our traditional portfolio, so we believe it is going to be a hit with growers.
“In trials, Bahama has proven to have a broad adaptability on the East Coast and anywhere in the world. Pretty much wherever we’ve put Bahama in the ground, it has performed well.”
Bahama has a strong concentrated fruit set with high yield potential. It has better vine vigor than some of the other sugar baby varieties on the market.
“It also performs really well with grafting, which is becoming a more common practice in Georgia and Florida,” Wente adds. “It has been a grower-friendly variety up and down the East Coast, so we are excited to bring it to market.”
Powerful Zucchini Selections
Syngenta has also led in the zucchini variety market. The company provides growers with a range of options that provide all levels of disease resistance in its green zucchini varieties.
“We cover growers’ needs from A to Z,” Wente says. “Syngenta stays at the forefront of innovation when it comes to everything we offer on the squash front.
“Bladerunner is our newest zucchini, which we are excited to roll out in a bigger way in 2026. It has very strong yield potential, and fruit is concentrated in the early part of the harvest, which is attractive to growers wanting to get to market first. The fruit quality also has been very good.”
Bladerunner has an open and upright plant, which makes it easy for harvesters to see the fruit. It also produces a longer peduncle for an easier slice of the knife while harvesting.
“The open-plant type and peduncle was why we named the variety Bladerunner,” Wente adds. “It is a lot easier to get into the plant to cut the fruit free in harvest.”
Bladerunner has one of the stronger disease packages on the market.
Another new green zucchini variety is Fortress. It can pair up with Bladerunner in some circumstances, especially for growers in Georgia, where Hunter Slade, Syngenta Technical Sales Representative, is based.
“Like Bladerunner, Fortress comes with a very big disease package and is a new release from Syngenta,” Slade says. “The variety offers growers a novel gene for downy mildew resistance that is not available in any other zucchini variety.”
Fortress produces a slightly larger plant than Bladerunner, but ease of harvest comes with Fortress, too. It also has high-yield potential but in this case comes more toward the back end of harvest.
“Georgia growers have had a lot of success with Fortress in their fall crop when pests and diseases start to pick up,” Slade says. “It is a variety that really holds up for an extended pick.
“Whiteflies have become such an issue in Georgia. That’s why growers are choosing Fortress for the fall crop. Bladerunner will rule the main market in spring on into summer, then Fortress will take it from there.”
Partnerships and Innovation
Wente says bringing growers solutions to their needs is at the heart of the Syngenta breeding program. Grower feedback will continue to direct the new variety options coming in the future.
“We are with the growers in their fields and always asking them about the challenges we can help address,” she says. “We are very excited about the genetics we have coming down the pipeline, which will bring even more innovation in disease resistance and fruit quality.”
Variety Specs
Here are a few details on the new varieties:
BAHAMA
Maturity: Approximately 79 days
Fruit Count: Concentrated fruit set with a high proportion of 60 and 45 count
Average Size: The fruit is 10 to 14 pounds, which makes for easier harvesting and packing.
Adaptability: Broad adaptability throughout the United States
Yield and Quality: High yield potential with excellent quality of bright red flesh color and high Brix for a great consumer experience
Disease Package: Intermediate resistance to fusarium 1 and anthracnose 1
BLADERUNNER
Maturity: Approximately 45 days
Plant Type: Open, upright and compact with a long peduncle for ease of harvest
Fruit Type: Consistent, medium, cylindrical, dark-green fruit with light flecking and glossy ridges
Disease Package: Intermediate resistance to cucumber mosaic virus, watermelon mosaic virus, zucchini yellows, powdery mildew (Px and Gc) and papaya ringspot
FORTRESS
Maturity: Approximately 45 days
Plant Type: Open and erect for ease of harvest
Fruit Type: Medium-green, cylindrical, glossy fruit with reduced spines
Disease Package: Intermediate resistance to phytophthora, cucumber mosaic virus, watermelon mosaic virus, zucchini yellows and papaya ringspot; also an exclusive gene for intermediate downy mildew resistance
For More Information Visit: www.Syngentavegetables.com/en-us