The influence of Cd on growth, Cd accumulation and glucosinolate (GS) contents was investigated in Thlaspi praecox in comparison to Thlaspi arvense. Accumulation of up to 2,700 μg Cd g^-1 dry weight in shoots of T. praecox, growing in nutrient solution with 50 μM Cd without growth inhibition, confirmed this species as a Cd-hyperaccumulator. Cadmium increased the level of total GS in T. praecox without a statistically significant influence on total sulphur. This increase in GS was due to the enhancement of benzyl-GS, mainly sinalbin. In the Cd sensitive T. arvense Cd caused a shift from alkenyl-GS, mainly sinigrin, to indolyl-GS. The Cd-induced increase of total GS in T. praecox indicates that in this species Cd hyperaccumulation is not linked to trade-off of organic defences. The distinctive influence of Cd on GS profiles in Cd-sensitive T. arvense and Cd-tolerant T. praecox favouring indolyl-GS and benzyl-GS, respectively, is discussed in relation to jasmonate and salicylate as possible key molecules in Cd-stress transduction in these contrasting Thlaspi species.