The monitoring period (October 2022 to January 2023) covers the planting and early growth stages of winter wheat in Huanghuaihai. Agro-climatic indicators showed that precipitation (+47%) and

temperature (+0.5°C) in this area were above the 15YA, but radiation was unchanged, which resulted in above-average biomass production potential (BIOMSS +14%). The CALF exceeded the 5YA by 10%, indicating an increase in summer grain planting area in the MPZ. Below-average BIOMSS was located in southern Anyang, Henan, northern Xinxiang, Henan and southeastern Shandong.

According to the NDVI development graph, rainfall profile, and temperature profile, crop growth conditions were favorable due to sufficient rainfall, supplementary irrigation and above-average temperatures. Cold temperatures caused a drop in NDVI starting in December. As the NDVI departure clustering map shows, 19.3% of the cropland was slightly above average after November, mainly located in eastern Henan, northern Anhui, southwestern Shandong, and middle-eastern Hebei. 14.9% of the cropped area in northern Suzhou, Anhui, southeastern Shangqiu, Henan, and northern Shandong (yellow colors in the NDVI departure clustering map) indicate slightly less favorable conditions.

The maximum VCI value was 0.86, and the Crop Production Index (CPI) is 1.17. In general, crop conditions in this region were 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