This reporting period covers the jointing, grain-filling up to maturity stages of winter wheat and seedling and transplanting of early rice in Southern China. According to the regional NDVI profile, crop conditions were in general slightly above average.

Rainfall (+13%) and radiation (+4%) were above the 15YA. Temperature was average. The BIOMSS was 7% above average mainly due to the above-average rainfall. The cropped arable land fraction remained at the same level as in the last five years. 

According to the NDVI departure clustering map and the profiles, values were close to average in most regions during this monitoring period in Southern China. In January and February, NDVI values in Guangxi and Guangdong were notably below average mainly due to excessive precipitation and lower temperature which slowed the growth of winter wheat and spring maize. The persistently above average rainfall from mid-January to mid-February has basically relieved the winter drought, prompting the crop conditions to above-average levels in the second half of the reporting period. In March, the temperature increased markedly, which was also good for the growth of rice seedlings. In April, weather conditions were favorable for the tillering of rice. The average VCIx of the Southern China region was 0.94, and most area had VCIx values ranging from 0.80 to 1.00. Low VCIx values were only scattered in Yunnan, Guangxi and Guangdong province which was consistent with the below-average BIOMSS map.

All in all, crop conditions were slightly above average.

Figure 4.15 Crop condition Southern China region, January - April 2022

(a) Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

(b) Time series rainfall profile

(c) Time series temperature profile

(d) Spatial distribution of                                 (e) NDVI profiles

(f) Maximum VCI

(g) Potential biomass departure from 5YA