Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Successful onion cultivation requires an understanding of how photoperiod (daylength) and temperature regulate bulb formation and flowering, as well as the genetic mechanisms used in hybrid seed production.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze each statement:
- Statement (A) is false: Photoperiod (daylength), rather than temperature, is the primary factor regulating bulb initiation and formation in onion.
- Statement (B) is false: Temperature is the primary factor regulating flowering. Exposure to low temperatures (vernalization, typically $4\text{--}10~^\circ\text{C}$) is required to induce bolting and subsequent flower development.
- Statement (C) is true: Long-day onion varieties require daylengths of 14 hours or more to initiate bulbing. Under short-day conditions (10–12 hours), they continue vegetative leaf growth without forming bulbs.
- Statement (D) is true: In onion hybrid seed production using cytoplasmic-genetic male sterility (CGMS), the maintainer line (B-line) must have normal fertile cytoplasm ($\text{N}$) and be homozygous recessive for the male sterility gene ($\text{msms}$), designated as $\text{Nmsms}$. This allows it to produce pollen and maintain the male-sterile A-line ($\text{Smsms}$) when crossed.
Hence, only statements (C) and (D) are correct.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option is (D).