3249 DEVELOPMENT OF A Na-ALGINATE-BASED BIOFORMULATION AND ITS USE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CHARCOAL ROT OF SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.) MUHAMMAD ANIS, M. JAVED ZAKI* AND SHAHNAZ DAWAR The treatment of sunflower seeds with Na-alginate in combination with Ca-carbonate and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) showed maximum increase in plant length and weight followed by seed coated with Na-alginate in combination with Ca-carbonate and gum arabic. Maximum control of Macrophomina phaseolina infection was recorded when seeds were coated with Na-alginate in combination with Ca-carbonate and gum arabic followed by Na-alginate in combination with Ca-carbonate and CMC. In another experiment when sunflower seeds were coated with Na-alginate at 1 Published 2012 44 3 1167 1170