Context: Cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L.) is one of the most salt-tolerant cash crops in the arid zone of Central Asia, especially in Xinjiang (XJ), China. Phosphorus (P) deficiency is one of the major yield-limiting factors for cotton production in this region. Although a high-chemical-P fertiliser input ensures high yields, only 18% of P can be taken up by crops in the application season, leading to large economic losses for farmers and accelerating the depletion of non-renewable P resources. It is a great challenge to optimise P inputs, increase P use efficiency (PUE) and maintain high yields under mulched fertigation cotton production systems. Objective: This paper aims to review the current efforts to improve PUE for cotton production in XJ and to provide feasible insights into nature-based solutions for high-P utilisation of cotton in the future. We focused on the following: (i) identifying the main factors that lead to the low PUE of cotton in XJ and the potential influencing mechanisms, (ii) exploring innovative P management options to maximise the biological potential for improving high-P utilisation and reducing soil P surplus in mulched fertigation cotton production systems, (iii) providing future perspectives of high P utilisation in mulched fertigation cotton production systems. Method: We conducted a systematic literature search on the Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) to review publications that are related to the topic of cotton yield and P utilisation under different P management practices with field experiments in XJ. On the basis of the research, we proposed new insights into improving P management practices in mulched fertigation cotton production systems. Results: We found that the soils exhibited a significant capacity for P fixation with high pH and carbonate content in XJ, leading to poor P migration when drip-irrigated. A mismatch between P fertiliser types and soil crop systems further hindered P absorption by cotton. Moreover, excessive P application and limited biological processes for soil P cycling impeded improvements in PUE. Therefore, we emphasised the importance of the root/ mycorrhizal pathway in cotton P uptake and suggested using the high mycorrhizal dependence and P-efficient cotton genotypes, maximising the biological potential of the root morphology, mycorrhizal symbiosis, P-solubilising microorganisms and microbial biomass P (MBP) pool turnover in soil P mobilisation, which could increase cotton P uptake and PUE. Furthermore, we proposed a strategy of using starter P combined with ammonium sulfate fertigation after the plant emergency, and concentrated application of acidic P fertiliser with the pursuit of ammonium sulfate could achieve high cotton yields and P fertiliser efficiency. We also highlighted the potential of organic amendments in enhancing soil P bioavailability and P recycling by enlarging the MBP pool and improving the alkaline phosphatase activity, thus improving cotton P uptake and yield. Finally, we noted that nature-based solutions, which were commonly neglected in previous studies, should be integrated into zero-P surplus management strategies to maximise the biological potential for high-P utilisation in cotton production. Conclusions: The use of organic amendments enhanced the biological potential for the high-P utilisation of cotton. Combining starter P fertiliser with ammonium sulfate induced rhizosphere acidification and increased cotton yields and PUE. In addition, integrating nature-based solutions into zero-P surplus management strategies can increase cotton PUE and can maintain a high yield by maximising the biological potential for high-P utilisation. Overall, developing novel P management practices to optimise nature-based soil P cycling and to improve the