Assisted phytoextraction as a nature‐based solution for the sustainable remediation of metal(loid)‐contaminated soils.

This article focuses on assisted phytoextraction as a nature-based, sustainable strategy for remediating soils contaminated with potentially toxic elements (PTEs), such as metals and metalloids. Assisted phytoextraction enhances traditional phytoextraction by improving plant performance—through plant selection, genetic engineering, and inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF)—and by increasing PTE bioavailability via chelating agents, competing ions, and microbial activity. While this approach offers environmental, social, and economic benefits aligned with phytomanagement principles, challenges remain regarding variability in effectiveness, ecological risks, and long remediation times. The review emphasizes the need for further research on plant–microbe symbioses, especially involving native species, to optimize assisted phytoextraction and support its large-scale application within integrated, sustainable land reclamation frameworks.