Mosquito breeding in rice fields and its role in malaria transmission in Mandla district, M.P.

A study of the breeding of mosquitoes in the rice field agro-ecosystem was carried out in Mandla district during 1987 and 1988. Results revealed that mosquito breeding commences in July and ends in October. Mosquito breeding in rice fields is inversely proportional to the distance from village. A. culicifacies breeds in rice fields up to a plant height of 20 cm and then gradually declines and becomes scarce, and is taken over by A. theobaldi and A. splendidus. A. fluviatilis breeds in irrigation channels almost throughout the rice growing season. There were a large number of other mosquito breeding sites which increased enormously with the onset of rains. The precise role of rice fields in maintaining high malaria transmission could not be established but the rice field agro-ecosystem contributed significant vector populations.