Intercropping eggplant with the hyperaccumulator Sedum alfredii and inoculating it with endophytic bacteria SaMR12 improved soil nutrient availability and enhanced Cd phytoextraction, despite inhibiting plant growth. While intercropping increased Cd in eggplant fruit, SaMR12 reduced Cd levels to 0.95 mg/kg and boosted Sedum's Cd uptake.