Varesh, A New Lettuce Cultivar Suitable for Cultivation in Northern Provinces of Iran and Similar Climates

 Babol local lettuce as a landrace in Mazandaran, has cultivated for many years. Local lettuce is a mixture of different genotypic and phenotypic forms which affects its marketability. It was purified by individual selection method during a three year priod (1998-2000) based on the selection for characteristics such as shape of bush, closed pome high yield, good marketability and resistance to diseases. A pure sample was developed in 2000 covering several good characteristics of the local lettuce and after evaluation in several agronomic and yield trial experiments it was registered as a new cultivar named Varesh in 2008. Varesh is a high yielding lettuce cultivar with good shape of bush, closed pome, good marketability and moderately resistant to Bremia lactucae Based on the agronomic trials, the plant density of 100000 (50×20 sowing pattern), 200 kgha-1 urea fertilizer and planting date of 22 November were recommend for this cultivar. The average yield of the new cultivar in farmers condition was more than 40tha-1.