Crop condition in Huanghuaihai was generally below the recent five-year average. The main crop during the monitoring period is summer maize, which was planted in mid-June after the harvesting of winter wheat and completes its cycle by September. According to the crop condition development graph based on NDVI, crop condition was slightly below the five-year average during the entire period and declined sharply in October. Unfavorable condition may be related to the frequent precipitation and the continuous cloud over the region. According to the CropWatch agroclimatic indicators, temperature (TEMP) was average but precipitation (RAIN) was 36% above and radiation (RADPAR) 12% below. Excess precipitation and low sunshine may influence the growing of summer maize and possibly depress its yield. Precipitation can also provide favorable soil moisture condition for the sowing of winter wheat in October.

Regarding spatial distribution, many scattered areas over the region display below average condition. Southern Hebei, Northern Anhui, and eastern Shandong were below average throughout the period. Southern and central Huanghuaihai also experienced poor conditions throughout the period except for late July and August. The situation is confirmed by the VCIx and biomass departure maps.

Figure 4.14a. Huanghuaihai crop condition development graph based on NDVI, comparing the current season up to October 2017 to the previous season, to the five-year average (5YA), and to the five-year maximum

Figure 4.14b. Huanghuaihai spatial NDVI patterns for July to October 2017 (compared to the (5YA) (left) and NDVI profiles associated with these spatial patterns (right)

Figure 4.14c. Huanghuaihai maximum VCI, July-October 2017

Figure 4.14d. Huanghuaihai biomass, July-October 2017