Huanghuaihai

Crop condition in Huanghuaihai was not favorable over the monitoring period. The main crops in the region are winter wheat--in full development since spring and with harvests starting in early June--and summer maize, which is planted after the harvesting of winter wheat. As shown by the NDVI development graph, crop condition was generally satisfactory compared with the recent five-year average and NDVI values of last year. From mid-May to early June, however, NDVI over the harvested field appeared largely below average, possibly due to strong precipitation since late May and the cloud over the region.

In terms of the spatial distribution of findings, many parts of the Huanghuaihai area had a below average condition but to different extents. In addition to east and central Hebei and central Shandong, a scattered area over eastern Henan and northern Anhui had below average condition throughout the reporting period. This is also visible from the VCIx map and biomass departure map. According to the CropWatch agro-climatic indicators, temperature andr adiation over the region were normal, but precipitation, as mentioned above, was in excess since late May, which may influence the harvesting of mature winter wheat and possibly depress its yield. Meanwhile, precipitation can also provide favorable soil moisture condition for the growth of maize.

Figure 4.8. Crop condition China Huanghuaihai, April - July 2017

(a)Crop condition development graph based on NDVI

(b)Spatial NDVI patterns compared to 5YA

(c)NDVI profiles

(d)Maximum VCI

(e)Biomass