Winter wheat is the main crop that is being grown in this monitoring period (October 2021 to January 2022). Sowing took place mostly in October. Precipitation (+56%) and temperature (+0.3℃) in this area were above the 15 years average, but radiation (-7%) was below. The combination of these weather parameters led to an estimated increase of the potential biomass by 31%. The CALF exceeded the 5YA by 6%. 

Based on the NDVI-based crop growth profile, the crop growth conditions were lower than the 5YA during the whole monitoring period. The main reason is the flooding along the Yellow River during the summer crops sowing in 2021 autumn resulted in the delay of winter wheat sowing. The crop condition was below average before the wintering period. As shown by NDVI clusters and profiles, only 9.1% of cropland over Northeastern Anhui were higher than the 5YA after mid-October, whereas crops in the areas of Northern Henan, Northwestern Shandong and Southern Hebei (blue and red color in NDVI departure clustering map) were at below average condition during the whole monitoring period due to the delayed sowing. The map of maximum VCI presented a similar trend as the spatial NDVI pattern. Overall, crop conditions in this important region were below average.

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

(b) Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA    (c) NDVI profiles

(d)Time series rainfall profile

(e)Time series temperature profile

(f) Maximum VCI

(g) Biomass departure