Researchers in Novosibirsk are testing a pioneering method to cultivate exceptionally large gourds, including a melon, a watermelon with a mango-like flavor, and a pumpkin. The work is conducted within autonomous greenhouses, as explained by Roman Rybakov, a scientist at the Siberian Federal Scientific Center for Agricultural Biotechnology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, in an interview with socialbites.ca.
According to Rybakov, every plant is grown in private, cutting-edge facilities or urban farming environments that are isolated from existing natural conditions. The climate inside these spaces is entirely artificial, supported by controlled lighting and precisely regulated temperatures. Plants grow without soil, using an inert substrate and a drip irrigation system that delivers mineral nutrients. A defining feature of this approach is the advanced equipment that can create any desired environmental setup in rooms of any size. The system is created with domestic technology and represents a core component of contemporary urban agriculture.
The researchers divide each crop into three experimental groups. The first group grows the plants using traditional methods. In the second group, seeds are soaked in a novel organic plant growth regulator designed to achieve 100 percent germination. The third group takes this a step further, with seeds not only soaked but also sprayed with the regulator. This threefold comparison is deliberate, aimed at pinpointing the most effective technique for producing giant plant varieties.
To date, the mango-shaped watermelon has earned the title of the champion within the project. It is a yellow, torpedo-shaped fruit, renowned for its lemon-mango flavor. The specimen tested so far weighs about five kilograms and measures around thirty centimeters in length, yet researchers anticipate continued growth as the trials progress.
Within the science center, the project operates in collaboration with a nearby school. One student tends to the melon crop, another to the watermelon, and a third to zucchini. The overarching goal is to master the technology required to cultivate colossal fruits. Success could lead to cloning the most productive plant varieties and reducing dependence on imported seeds for these cultivars. Local melon seeds are being used as the starting material in these experiments.
Looking ahead, this line of inquiry represents the initial phase of a longer program that will be repeated in the following year. The researchers anticipate that the outcomes will inform decisions about seed importation and the broader feasibility of scaling up production of giant fruits for wider distribution.