2012 Annual Report 1a.Objectives (from AD-416): To identify the Bt corn technology and its associated refuge system that provides the most economic benefit to producers. 1b.Approach (from AD-416): Data will be collected from multiple field tests located in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. All production costs and operations will be recorded for each site. Impact of corn techonologies on insects and yelds will be collected. An economic analysis will be conducted to compare net return above treatment costs of each Bt corn technology and its associated refuge system. 3.Progress Report: Field studies were conducted in 2010 and 2011 with corn hybrids possessing various Bt traits across the Mid-South to estimate the impact of single- and pyramided-gene Bt corn hybrids on bollworm populations, as well as to make an economic assessment of single- and pyramided-gene Bt corn/refuge systems. Single-gene Bt hybrids had little impact on bollworm populations infesting field plots, whereas pyramided-gene hybrids significantly reduced larval numbers, larval size, and the numbers of damaged kernels. Yields of corn hybrids varied over the two-year period and did not correlate well with larval survival and kernel damage estimates. Data are currently being compiled to conduct an economic analysis comparing the single-gene, 50% corn refuge system with the pyramided-gene, 20% corn refuge system.