Application of Bast Fiber Crops in the Remediation of Heavy Metal Contaminated Farmland in China—A Review

Heavy metal (HM) contaminated farmland has become a serious global problem, threatening food security and human health. Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly and cost-effective method for remediating HM‑contaminated farmland. However, most hyperaccumulator plants suffer from drawbacks, including low biomass, no economic value, and weak ecological adaptability. Bast fiber crops (BFCs) that are including flax, industrial hemp, ramie, kenaf, and jute feature strong HM tolerance, high biomass yield, well-established cultivation techniques, and economic benefits. They possess powerful HM accumulation capacity, with bioaccumulation and translocation factors generally higher than 1 for certain HMs. This paper reviews farmland HM‑contaminated status, the study about the effects of HMs on growth and physiology of BFCs in China, the accumulation capability and regulation of HMs in these crops, HM tolerance mechanisms, and the distribution characteristics of HMs inside BFC plant tissues. It also summarizes the practical application of BFCs in the remediation of HM‑contaminated farmland in China. Relevant research and practices demonstrate that BFCs have broad application prospects in sustainable remediation of HM‑contaminated farmland and the advancement of agricultural sustainable development.