Step 1: Understanding the Concept
Water first enters the hydrophilic cell wall of the root hair by imbibition, and the wall is fully permeable.
Step 2: Entry into the cytoplasm
To go from the cell wall and membrane interface into the cytoplasm, water must cross the selectively permeable plasma membrane.
This movement down the DPD gradient into the more concentrated cell sap is osmosis.
Step 3: Conclusion
So the step in question is osmosis.
Final Answer:
The step is osmosis, option (A).
\[ \boxed{\text{(A) }\text{osmosis}} \]