Abstract:Abstract: In order to effectively play the important role of artificial precipitation enhancement in agricultural drought resistance, taking Chibi city in Hubei Province as the research area,using the daily temperature and precipitation observation data from 2014 to 2023, based on the crop water requirement formula and crop water deficit index (CWDI),determined the identification and grade standard of crop drought process,and constructed the artificial precipitation enhancement demand index and grade standard. We deeply analyzed the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of crop water requirement, agricultural drought and artificial precipitation demand. The results showed that:(1) The crop water requirement in Chibi City showed a unimodal distribution, with a peak in late July. The period during which the crop water requirement exceeds 20 mm is concentrated from early April to early October.The cumulative crop water requirement showed an 'X'-shaped high - and - low - scattered spatial distribution.The high - value area between740 mm and 800 mm was distributed in the towns such as Zhonghuopu, Guantangyi, Xindian, etc. (2) The light, medium and heavy crop drought processes last an average of 8 - 10days, 18 - 20days, 25 - 35days respectively, and the extreme drought process is more than 60days. Light drought occurs from December to May, and moderate and above -level droughts mostly occur in June - October. The frequency and intensity of drought among townships are significantly different; and the extremely high intensity areas are distributed in Chibi,Liushanhu,Zhonghuopu and other towns.(3)The seasonal characteristics of artificial precipitation demand are obvious. In winter to spring ( December-May ), the grade is low and the frequency is low. In summer to autumn (June-November), the grade is high and the frequency is high. The demand degree shows a spatial distribution of ' high in the angle area and low in the middle area ', with high to extremely high demand areas are distributed in the northeast, northwest and southwest angle areas.(4) The emergence of low level artificial precipitation enhancement demand is an important signal to trigger the artificial precipitation enhancement operation, and the development period of demand degree from low level to medium and high level is the effective operation period of artificial rain enhancement. The practice has proved many times that the artificial precipitation enhancement demand index can help the operation unit make the artificial precipitation enhancement operation plan for agricultural drought resistance more effectively and reasonably.