Yuli Watermelon

Yuli Watermelon

Yuli Watermelon is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Xinjiang has a folk saying: “Eat watermelon by the stove.” In the Uyghur language, watermelon is called “awuzi,” and it is mainly produced in the oases of the Junggar Basin, Tarim Basin, Turpan Basin, and Hami Basin in Xinjiang. Xinjiang is one of the earliest regions to cultivate watermelons, which is documented in many ancient texts. The Ming Dynasty physician Li Shizhen wrote in his Compendium of Materia Medica: “After the Khitans defeated the Huihe people, they began to grow watermelons, covering them with cow dung and calling them watermelons.” The Ming Dynasty scholar Xu Guangqi also stated in his Complete Treatise on Agriculture: “Watermelons originated from the Western Regions, hence the name. This shows that our country has been growing watermelons for a thousand years, with the seeds introduced from Xinjiang through the north.” Yuli, also known as “Luobunao’er,” derives its name from “Lop Nur.” It is located in the southeastern part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, on the northeastern edge of the Tarim Basin. Since the year 1405 during the Ming Dynasty’s Yongle era, when local herders in Xini’er Town, Yuli County, began farming, the cultivated land in Yuli County has continually expanded. Yuli watermelons are large, sweet, and have a high sugar content. The flesh is fine, crisp, and juicy, with individual melons weighing between 2.5 to 10 jin (approximately 1.25 to 5 kg). Their shapes vary between oblong and round; rind colors include dark green, emerald green, and light green; stripe patterns range from sawtooth bands to fine walnut-like lines; flesh colors span pinkish-red, peach-red, and deep red; textures include both sandy and crisp flesh types; seeds may be large, small, black, red, or seedless; and flavors range from fragrant to fruity.

　　Location: Xinjiang

　　Applicant: Yuli County Agricultural Technology Extension Center

　　Year of designation: 2013

　　Geographic Scope

　　Yuli County is situated in the southeastern part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. It was historically part of the ancient Western Regions states of Yuli, Quli, and Shan. It borders Shaya County and Kuqa County to the west, Luntai County, Bohu County, and Hoxud County to the north, as well as Toksun County, Turpan City, and Shanshan County of the Turpan region. To the east lies Ruoqiang County, and to the south it neighbors the Tarim Basin, adjacent to Qiemo County. The county lies on the northeastern edge of the Taklamakan Desert, within the middle and lower reaches of the Tarim River and the Peacock River. The geographical indication protection area for Yuli Watermelon includes seven townships and one town within Yuli County: Xingping Township, Tarim Township, Gulebage Township, Dunkuantan Township, Aksufu Township, Kaerquga Township, Tuanjie Township, Xiaotang, and Yuli Town. This covers a total of seven townships, one town, one management committee, and 50 administrative villages. The geographic coordinates are: longitude 84°02′50″ to 89°58′50″, latitude 40°10′30″ to 41°39′47″, with an average altitude of 2,000 meters. The protected area spans 7,400 mu (approximately 493 hectares), with an annual total production of 296,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Features: Yuli watermelons are of moderate size, with thin rinds, thick flesh, minimal fiber, and high sugar content. The flesh is bright red, fine and crisp, and very juicy. Individual melons typically weigh between 3.5 to 4.0 kilograms; they are mostly round in shape. The rind is green with 15–17 distinct green stripes, which are serrated in appearance. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Yuli watermelons taste sweet and juicy, refreshing and thirst-quenching. They contain 5.5–7.5 mg/100g of reduced vitamin C and have a high sugar content, with total sugar ranging from 8.0–10.5 g/100g. The soluble solids content (at the center of the watermelon) is 11.5%–13.6%, while near the rind it is 5.2%–7.3%. Total acid content is 0.3–0.5 g/kg, vitamin B1 is 0.005–1.2 mg/100g, vitamin B2 is 0.01–0.2 mg/100g, vitamin D3 is 0.001–0.1 mg/100g, vitamin E is 0.015–0.027 mg/100g, calcium is 20–35 mg/kg, iron is 0.5–1.5 mg/kg, potassium is 1,100–1,300 mg/kg (nearly 1.6 times higher than ordinary watermelons at 790 mg/kg), phosphorus is 1,000–1,400 mg/kg, zinc is 0.1–1.5 mg/kg, sodium is 30–45 mg/kg, and magnesium is 140–190 mg/kg. In addition, they contain eighteen types of amino acids, including aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glycine, and histidine. (3) Safety Requirements: Products within the quality and safety protection zone comply with production technical regulations and are strictly cultivated according to the Green Food Melon Standards (NY/T427-2007). Throughout the cultivation process, water sources, soil, and vines are kept free from pollution, thereby ensuring the natural purity and eco-friendliness of Yuli watermelons.