Water is very important for the survival of human beings, plants and animals. There are many reasons why water is needed by plants.
Solvent
Water acts as the solvent for the minerals present in the soil and with the absorption of water from the soil minerals also enters the plant body. While these minerals could not be easily and naturally taken up by the plants if they were in solid state.
Transport
Water is used to transport the metabolic products from one part to the other where they are needed. So it acts as a vehicle for the transportation.
Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a process in plants to make their food. And water is an electron source of this process.
6CO2 + 6H2O – C6H1206 + 6O2
In this process six water molecules combine with six carbon molecules to form, oxygen and glucose (food for plants)
Evaporation
Water is evaporated through the stomata present on the leaves. It cools the plant in the hot sunny days, in the similar manner as we get cool by perspiration. Roots also store the water to be used in winter. In cold days water movement from the soil is very slow but the leaves loses water by wind in the winter too. So the stored water helps the plant to compensate with it. If no water is available to the plant then the tissues will start dying in the leaves and they will turn brown in color. Evaporation is also necessary for plant to let the stomata remain open for the intake of carbon dioxide.
Turgidity
Water is necessary for the turgidity i.e. the pressure of water in the cells of plants which is important for the survival of plant else it will wilt. It is also required for the growth as it expands the plant cells.
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