Abstract Fourteen cultivars of turnip [Brassica rapa, rapifera group, also B. campestris L. ssp. rapifera (Metzg.) Sinsk.] recommended for human consumption of either tops or tops and roots and five cultivars recommended for consumption of roots were selected to compare glucosinolate (GS) levels in tops and roots. Also, two cultivars used for animal feed were included. The study revealed significantly lower levels of 1-methylpropyl-GS and 2-hydroxy-3-butenyl-GS in tops and roots of cultivars grown for greens, compared to those used for animal feed. Contents of 1-methylpropyl-, 3-butenyl-, and 4-pentenyl-GSs were higher in turnip tops than in roots, while 2-hydroxy-3-butenyl-, 4-(methylthio)butyl-, 4-(methylsulfinyl)butyl-, 2-hydroxy-4-pentenyl-, 5-(methylthio)pentyl-, 2-phenylethyl-, 3-indolylmethyl-GSs and total GS were all higher in the roots. GS patterns for seeds tended to correlate with those of the tops.