Aquaponic technology for cultural preservation and environmental stewardship

NSF fellow: Victor-Alan K. Weeks, Ogeechee Technical College

Mentor: Dr. Anthony Siccardi

Sapelo Island, GA is home to the Gullah-Geechee Hog Hammock community and two special flora, Sapelo Island Red Peas (Vigna unguiculata) and Sapelo Island Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), both heirloom varietals that have served as socio-historical indicators via traditional agriculture. This project was designed to evaluate the application of aquaponic agriculture methods and its effectiveness in supporting the growth of these two species. Seeds were obtained from Maurice Bailey, a Sapelo Island resident and representative of Saving Our Legacy Ourselves 501(c)3 and a material transfer agreement was established to protect the intellectual property of these heirloom seeds. Both seeds were placed in three treatments: organic soil watered with tap water, organic soil watered with aquaponic-water, and rock wool watered with aquaponic-water to germinate. Once germinated, juvenile plants were moved into the Georgia Southern University’s Sustainable Aquaponics Research Center (SARC) to continue their life cycle and where each plant’s height was measured over the course of six weeks. Overall, the Red Peas demonstrated a 2% germination rate, while the Okra demonstrated a 53% germination rate. Neither the Red Peas or Okra exhibited successful germination in the rock wool and aquaponic-water treatment. It was confirmed that the Red Pea seed stock was a blend of viable and non-viable seeds. This plant’s data became unusable, leaving Sapelo Island Okra as the primary plant considered for my analysis. No significant difference was determined between mean heights for the soil and aquaponic-soil treatments, however one of the greatest factors could be due to our small sample size. Ultimately, my project reinforced the importance of identity preservation, developing trust between entities, and the uncertainty that comes with pursuing agriculture.