UW SER Research Highlights Coal Char’s Potential to Support Carrot Production and Soil Health

A research initiative at the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources (SER) that explores novel uses for Wyoming coal has hit a tangible milestone: harvesting large carrots using coal char as a soil amendment.

The ongoing study, titled “Carrot yield enhancement using coal char as a soil amendment in Wyoming soil,” is evaluating how pyrolyzed coal (coal char) influences root crop production and soil physical properties in both greenhouse and field environments.

Funded by the Wyoming Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, the project is led by Resham Thapa, an associate research professional in SER’s Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion (CCCC). The initiative is designed to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops.

Thapa recently completed the project’s first-year major field harvest, yielding large carrots that highlight the potential benefits of the soil treatment.

“The goal of this project is to develop scientifically based, practical measures for using pyrolyzed coal in agroecosystems,” Thapa says. “By applying coal char as a soil amendment, we hope to enhance soil health and significantly boost yields for specialty crops, such as carrots and radishes. The carrots we harvested are showing improvements in size, while fully retaining their optimal flavor profile and moisture content.”

The field trial is being conducted at the James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center, a UW Agricultural Experiment Station facility located in Lingle. Over a three-year period, the project aims to provide actionable insights for farmers, agricultural producers and industry stakeholders across the region.

The trial builds upon a broader suite of UW soil amendment projects that have explored coal char across diverse applications, including land reclamation, field monitoring in dryland environments and traditional agriculture. A growing body of scientific publications and data resulting from these studies continues to support the significant soil-enhancement benefits of coal char, from improving soil physical properties and soil moisture retention to boosting crop performance.

Beyond its benefits for agricultural productivity, the research holds broader economic implications for the state. Developing agricultural applications for coal char creates a potentially high-volume market for Wyoming coal, supporting economic diversification and opening new avenues for employment within the state’s energy and agricultural sectors.

“Collaborating closely with the College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Life Sciences on these test projects allows us to combine expertise in energy technology and soil science to deliver real-world solutions,” says CCCC Director Trina Igelsrud Pfeiffer. “This initiative directly bridges Wyoming’s two largest economic sectors -- energy and agriculture. By finding high-value agricultural applications for coal products, we can enhance crop productivity for local producers while simultaneously opening new markets for our state’s energy resources.”

Results from the ongoing greenhouse and field trials will continue to be collected and analyzed throughout the remainder of the study.