Mosquito management strategies in European rice fields: Environmental and public health perspectives

• Published in: Journal of environmental management Vol. 370; p. 122534
• Main Authors: González, Mikel A., Chaskopoulou, Alexandra, Georgiou, Loukas, Frontera, Eva, Cáceres, Francisco, Masia, Montse, Gutiérrez-Climente, Raquel, Ambert, Gregory L’, Osório, Hugo, Seixas, Gonçalo, Defilippo, Francesco, Calzolari, Mattia, Montarsi, Fabrizio, Mosca, Andrea, Figuerola, Jordi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2024
• Subjects: Europe; Integrated vector management; Mosquito vectors; Public health; Rice paddies; Integrated vector management; Mosquito vectors; Europe; Public health; Rice paddies
• ISSN: 0301-4797; 1095-8630; 1095-8630
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122534

Rice is a crucial food source and an important economic activity globally. Rice fields provide habitats for birds and other organisms but also serve as ideal breeding grounds for mosquitoes, including potential vectors such as Culex, Aedes, and Anopheles. There is an urgent need to manage mosquitoes associated with rice crops, as they are important pests and vectors of diverse pathogens. Effective management should rely on cost-effective, legislative, and environmentally sustainable approaches. We gathered information from various sources on surveillance, phenology, mosquito nuisance, vector-borne diseases and control measures in the main rice paddies of the five major rice-producing regions in Europe: Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, and France. Mosquito problems in rice paddies are prevalent across most analyzed regions, with entomological and virological surveillance efforts varying in intensity and timing. Aedes caspius mosquitoes significantly contribute to nuisance levels, while recent West Nile virus (WNV) circulation poses the most serious threat, as these habitats support high densities of mosquito vectors such as Culex pipiens, Culex modestus, and Culex perexiguus. Different mosquito control strategies are applied, ranging from centralized programs to localized interventions funded by public entities and implemented by public or private companies. Biological larviciding with Bacillus thuringiensis serovar. israelensis is the primary method used, supplemented by adulticiding during epidemic outbreaks in nearby urban areas. These management approaches reflect diverse regional contexts and highlight the importance of adaptive strategies in addressing mosquito-related challenges across rice paddies in Europe. [Display omitted] •We compiled information from the five major rice-producing regions in Europe.•Mosquito problems in rice paddies are prevalent across most analyzed regions.•Rice fields support high density of mosquito vectors such as Cx. pipiens, Cx. modestus and Cx. perexiguus.•Biological larviciding is by far the primary adopted method to control mosquitoes.•We identified several operational challenges in managing mosquitoes in rice paddies.