Field trial of the genetically modified eggplant in Cotabato province has finally taken off last week. Dr. Lourdes D. Taylo, an entomologist from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños-Institute of Plant Breeding, confirmed that Bacillus thuringiensis eggplant, or Bt Talong, has been planted at a trial site at the University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan, Cotabato province. “The field trial would run for about three months,” she told BusinessWorld, thumbing down “possible contamination of conventional eggplants since the Bt Talong test site has been isolated.