The winter wheat harvest was completed in the north of the Lower Yangtze region, including the south of Henan, Jiangsu, and Anhui provinces. The semi-late and late rice crops are still growing in the south and the center of the region (including in Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, and Hubei provinces), while early rice has been harvested. During this monitoring period, accumulated rainfall and radiation were below average (RAIN -2%, RADPAR -2%). Accumulated rainfall was above average in April, middle of May and June. Except for isolated dekads, temperature was below average from the middle of April to June (TEMP down 0.1℃ for the region) Below average agro-climatic conditions resulted in unfavorable biomass production potential (BIOMSS -1%). 

According to the NDVI development graph, crop condition was below average, especially at the beginning of May and June. As shown in the BIOMSS map, positive departures occurred only in Hubei and Henan, north of Jiangxi, South of Jiangsu and south-western  Anhui province. According to NDVI profiles, crop condition was slightly above average in 34.9% of cropped areas, mostly located in patches in West Hubei and Hunan and central Jiangxi province. Remaining areas of the Lower Yangtze region had slightly below average crop condition, which coincides with the spatial distribution of VCIx.  Considering the favorable VCIx value of 0.96, crop production is anticipated to be slightly below but very close to average.

Figure .X Crop condition development graph based on NDVI_China Lower Yangtze

Figure .X Time series rainfall pofile_China Lower Yangtze

Figure .X Time series temperature pofile_China Lower Yangtze

Figure 4.10b. China Lower Yangtze spatial NDVI patterns for April to July 2019(compared to the (5YA) (left) and (c) NDVI profiles associated with these spatial patterns (right)

Figure 4.10d. China Lower Yangtze maximum VCI(right)China Lower Yangtze biomass(left), April-July 2019