Chilling tolerance is a desirable trait in commercial tomato varieties, in order to extend the growing season and geographic range. Two Nearly Isogenic Lines (NILs) with introgressions in chromosome 2 and 3 of Solanum habrochaites S. Knapp & D. M. Spooner, a cold-resistant wild tomato, were evaluated in the field. Four plantings were established between 21 August and 2 October 2006 (day 232 and 274). Throughout the experiment the heat sum was interpreted using air temperature to calculate growing degree days (base 12 degrees C) and chilling hours (below 12 degrees C), with the daily light integral calculated as global solar radiation. The relative post-transplant growth rate, fruit set and yield, were evaluated over two successive 10-d periods. Chilling tolerance is expressed under high radiation and low temperature conditions, which occurred during the 10-d post-transplant evaluation period beginning on day 257, when both NILs achieved a leaf area growth rate 1.7 times higher than the control plants. During the second evaluation period, 10-20 d post-transplant, both NILs grew on average, 1.4 times more than the control. There were no significant differences in earliness or fruit set. These NILs should not be used as a direct source to obtain chilling tolerant varieties, because of the low fruit set, 84% lower in LA3921 than the control, probably due to linkage drag and poor environmental adaptability in both lines.