Sixteen processing tomato cultivars (fourteen high lycopene, one common commercial and one local Apulian landrace) were compared in a field trial in Southern Italy to evaluate yield parameters and some qualitative characteristics. The cultivars showed different production characteristics. Marketable yield ranged from 34.8 Mg ha(-1) for cv. PSR 0067 to 74.1 Mg ha(-1) for 'Syntesy'. Cv. PSR 0419 and 'Mandurese' showed the highest soluble solids content (5 degrees Brix), and 'PSR 0067' the highest dry matter content (9.6 g 100 g(-1) f.w.). The lycopene content of fruits ranged from 53.6 mg kg(-1) f.w. of cv. Lycos 29595 to 191.3 mg kg(-1) f.w. of 'HLY 14'; this parameter exceeded 100 mg kg-1 f.w. in six cultivars. The mean lycopene content for all cultivars was about 100 mg kg(-1) f.w., lower than values observed in cooler areas of Northern Italy. The cause of this lower lycopene content could be the high temperatures that occurred during the ripening period. The lycopene yield ranged from 2.4 kg ha(-1) for 'PSR 0067' to 10.9 kg ha(-1) for 'HLV 14'. The best cultivars in terms of lycopene yield were 'HLY 141, IHLY 159, 'Dracula', 'HLY 13" 'HLY 02' and 'PS 1617', whose values of lycopene yield exceeded 6.8 kg ha(-1).