Opal salad is a medium-maturity head lettuce variety with a semi-erect leaf rosette, reaching a height of up to 15 cm and a diameter of 30-32 cm. The leaves are of medium size, gray- or light-green in color, kidney-shaped with a slight wavy edge and a fatty tissue texture. The variety forms a closed, round, and dense head, weighing between 330 and 400 grams, possessing excellent taste qualities and a prolonged shelf life.
This variety is characterized by high yield and versatility in cultivation. Opal is suitable for planting in greenhouses, hotbeds, as well as in open ground under agrofabric or film, which allows obtaining an early harvest within 45-60 days after transplanting seedlings. In southern regions, under favorable conditions, the variety can be grown in open ground. The heads are snow-white in color, oval-shaped, uniform and dense, reaching an average weight of 0.6 to 1.5 kg. Thanks to the high density and uniformity of the fruits, the harvest withstands transportation over long distances well.
The Opal variety is resistant to diseases, withstands low temperatures and sharp temperature fluctuations well, which ensures harvest stability and high product quality. It is widely used fresh and for freezing, maintaining an attractive and delicate taste. It is characterized by high storability, the ability to maintain color and freshness for a long time, and is not prone to cracking due to high field health. It is recommended for industrial cultivation with a planting density of 35-40 thousand plants per hectare, which allows obtaining a yield of up to 8-10 kg per square meter.
