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Exploring phytoplankton management for controlling the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae in Benin

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Abstract

The relationship between different species of phytoplankton and Anopheles gambiae mosquito larvae was studied in order to improve malaria control. Anopheles gambiae larval habitat was surveyed by sampling phytoplankton at 51 sites. The deleterious effect of Scenedesmus quadricauda on third instar larvae was evaluated in the laboratory. 27 phytoplankton species were encountered in the field survey. Anopheles gambiae larvae had a positive association with high densities of Spirogyra (Pearson chi-square = 25.56, P < 0.0001) and a negative association with high densities of green algae (Spirogyra, Elakotothrix, Coelastrum, Ankystrodesmus, Chlorella, Kirchneriella, Selanastrum, and Scenedesmus) and cyanobacteria (Oscillatoria, and Nostoc). Laboratory bioassays revealed that S. quadricauda is indigestible and toxic to An. gambiae larvae that ingest it. The larval mortality was 100% when larvae ingested only S. quadricauda and 85.6% if larvae were exposed to a mixture of S. quadricauda and cat food. The findings of this study indicate that phytoplankton management with S. quadricauda or other green algae offers a possible way to eliminate An. gambiae production. Complementary studies are needed to investigate the deleterious effect of these algae on An. gambiae under semi-natural and natural conditions.

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The raw datasets are available at the corresponding author on reasonable demand.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Noël HOUNTY, Sebatien KOUDENOUKPO, Sêdomèdji HOUNMASSE, Armand KPODO, Darius TOSSAVI and Yaovi ZOUNNON for their participation in this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre de Recherche Entomologique de Cotonou (CREC), 06 BP 2604, Cotonou, Bénin

    Lenucthadius Yao Houessou, Armel Djènontin, Aziz Bouraïma, Christophe Soares & Martin Akogbéto

  2. Centre de Recherche pour la lutte contre les Maladies Infectieuses Tropicales (CReMIT), Université d’Abomey-Calavi (UAC), BP 526, Cotonou, Bénin

    Lenucthadius Yao Houessou, Armel Djènontin, Aziz Bouraïma & Christophe Soares

  3. Laboratoire de Recherche sur les Zones Humides (LRZH), Faculté des Sciences et Techniques (FAST), Université d’Abomey-Calavi (UAC), BP 526, Cotonou, Bénin

    Lenucthadius Yao Houessou, Edmond Sossoukpè, Mouhamadou Nourou Dine Liady, Richard Adandé & Emile Didier Fiogbe

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  1. Lenucthadius Yao Houessou
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  2. Armel Djènontin
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Contributions

DA, SE, LMND, AR, BA, SC, AM, FED and HL conceived and designed the study. DA and SE coordinated the study. HL sampled and identified the phytoplankton in all potential mosquitoes breeding habitat in the selected sites. LMND, AR and HL participated in the monospecific production of Scenedesmus quadricauda and in the monitoring of culture. DA, BA, SC and HL participated in the Bioassays in laboratory and to collect the data. DA, LMND and HL analyzed and interpreted data, and prepared the draft manuscript. HL wrote the original draft. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Lenucthadius Yao Houessou.

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Houessou, L.Y., Djènontin, A., Sossoukpè, E. et al. Exploring phytoplankton management for controlling the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae in Benin. J Appl Phycol 35, 495–508 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-022-02883-z

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