The <i>gac</i> system integrates physical and chemical cues to promote plant root attachment

system activates cyclic di-GMP-mediated attachment programs that drive the transition from planktonic to sessile behavior required for root association. We build on this model to show that manipulating flagellar surface sensing enhances the competitive fitness of Pf-5 in the presence of a synthetic bacterial community, suggesting a strategy to improve the competitive fitness of beneficial microbes on crops. These findings establish a mechanistic framework linking surface sensing, global regulation, and root attachment in a beneficial rhizobacterium.