The research was conducted on seven industrial carrot varieties: Bangor, Canada, Carlo, Fayette, Kazan, Kathmandu and Maxima and one lineage - Nun 7375. The carrots were grown under identical agritechnical conditions on an Experimental Farm of the Warsaw Agricultural University in Żelazna near Skierniewice for two consecutive years, 2000 and 2001. The texture of carrot roots was evaluated by means of penetration and compression tests. The penetration and compression curves obtained (in force-shift system) were analysed with the INSTRON IX SERIES Automated Material Testing System ver. 8.04. The significance of difference between the mean values of the texture discriminants examined was determined by analysis of variance (Duncan’s test). The calculations were done with STATISTICA^TM 6.0. All of the carrot varieties examined varied significantly (p<0.05)in the parameters analysed. Only two varieties, i.e. Maxima and Kathmandu, were characterised by the most stable texture in two consecutive years of research. The variety Maxima turned out to be the hardest and firmest, whereas the results of measurements obtained for the roots of the variety Kathmandu were opposite. In most cases, weather conditions and agritechnical treatments in particular years of cultivation had a considerable effect on root texture in the varieties examined. The place and method of sampling were also of great importance in terms of the tests applied. The experimental results indicate that both tests are complementary and should be conducted together.