They’ve tried slicing it, they’ve tried cutting it in half, and in Japan, they’ve even found a way to make it square.

Now Seminis Vegetable Seeds has found a way to make it smaller.

The new variety, known as Bambino, promises to offer a seedless watermelon that is small enough to carry - 6 to 7 pounds - but just the right size for one or two servings, said Lindsay Hutchinson, marketing director for Seminis. The fruit is round, with a dark green rind and a deep red flesh color.

“Our market research has shown that consumers love the taste of watermelons, particularly seedless watermelons, but are put off by the large size of the fruit,” she said. “Bambino takes up much less space in the refrigerator, and is small enough to share for breakfast or to take along for lunch.”

Omar Diaz, business development manager for Seminis, said in-store testing at retail outlets in northern California brought good reviews from customers.

“In many cases, shoppers were buying two to three per visit,” he said. “The small size means that every serving is a fresh one.

There are no more dried out slices from a large, conventional watermelon left in the refrigerator. It’s a fresh-from-the-field taste every time.”

Diaz said he expected the fruit to be available next year.