China Winter Wheat

SPOT - NDVI Image and Graphs - Fall 2008 / Winter 2009

China's 2009/10 winter wheat crop was planted from late September through mid-October, 2008. These Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) graphs derived from the SPOT satellite imagery show that wheat germination, emergence and early growth prior to dormancy in December was greater than normal and higher than last year. They also show that drought conditions in January and early February had no apparent effect on vegetative conditions in general. The rising NDVI values in March, particularly in Henan/Anhui/Jiangsu, reflect the crop emerging from dormancy, above-normal temperatures, and improved moisture conditions.

 

March 31, 2009 (Winter wheat production area is circled)

 

 

 

 

Source:  Crop Explorer