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

Authors: GONZALEZ, MIKEL - Doñana Biological Station; CHASKOPOULOU, ALEXANDRA - European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL); GEORGIOU, LOUKAS - General Directorate Of Public Health, Region Of Eastern Macedonia And Thrace; FRONTERA, EVA - Universidad De Extremadura; CACERES, FRANCISCO - Huelva Provincial Council; MASIA, MONTSE - Consortium Of Environmental Policies Of The Terres De L'Ebre, Copate; GUTIERREZ-CLEMENTE, RAQUEL - Eid-Mediterranean; L'AMBERT, GREGORY - Eid-Mediterranean; OSORIO, HUGO - National Institute Of Health (INSA); SEIXAS, GONCALO - New University Of Lisbon; DELFILIPPO, FRANCISCO - Institute Of Experimental Zooprofilattic; CALSOLARI, MATTIA - Institute Of Experimental Zooprofilattic; MOSCA, ANDREA - Institute For Wood Plants And The Environment; FIGUEROLA, JORDI - Doñana Biological Station

Submitted to: Environmental Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/15/2024
Publication Date: 9/23/2024
Citation: Gonzalez, M.A., Chaskopoulou, A., Georgiou, L., Frontera, E., Caceres, F.J., Masia, M., Gutierrez-Clemente, R., L'Ambert, G., Osorio, H., Seixas, G., Delfilippo, F., Calsolari, M., Mosca, A., Figuerola, J. 2024. Mosquito management strategies in European rice fields: environmental and public health perspectives. Environmental Research. 370: 122534. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122534.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.122534

Interpretive Summary: Rice fields are considered ideal mosquito breeding habitats, providing refugia for important nuisance and pathogen transmitting mosquitoes. As a result major mosquito borne disease outbreaks have been associated with intensive rice-agroecosystems in different parts of the world (North America, Europe, Africa, South Asia). In an effort to increase awareness on the important challenges of mosquito-borne disease management in these environments we performed a literature review targeting 5 European countries. Through this review we a) identified specific knowledge gaps in rice-field mosquito ecology and control, b) compiled the most up-to date information on mosquito surveillance, nuisance, vector-borne disease risk, and c) identified specific mosquito control approaches (or a lack thereof) applied against rice-field mosquitoes. This work has highlighted a list of critical needs that must be addressed by the international scientific community in collaboration with mosquito control operators and farmers for improving mosquito control strategies in these vulnerable environments.

Technical Abstract: 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 outstanding 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 compatible approaches. We gathered information from various sources on surveillance, phenology, mosquito-related issues, vector-borne diseases, control, and management 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 all analyzed regions, with entomological and virological surveillance efforts varying in intensity and timing. Aedes caspius mosquitoes contribute significantly 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 executed 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.