Objective The aims were to grasp the characteristics of spatial and temporal changes of arable land in the three northeastern provinces, to identify the spatial heterogeneity of arable land yield and provide a theoretical basis for improving arable land quality and production capacity.

Method The Landsat data and products were used to measure and analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of arable land in the three northeastern provinces, and revealed the spatial heterogeneity of arable land yield by calculating the cumulative NDVI of arable land pixels combined with the pixel yields of provincial grain production statistics.

Results ①The arable land area in the three northeastern provinces increased by 27 × 10⁴ hm² from 2000 to 2020, and the grain yield increased by 2852 kg hm⁻². ②The arable land areas in Heihe, Baicheng, Songyuan, Suihua and Qiqihar increased the most. Grain yields in Daqing, Qiqihar, Suihua, Harbin and Mudanjiang grew faster. ③The key centers of arable land migrated from Yushu to Shuangcheng in 2000 ~ 2020. The key center of grain yield was located in Harbin.

Conclusion The amount of arable land areas in the three northeastern provinces kept stable from 2000 to 2020. The key center of arable land was moving northward, and the key centers of grain yield was moving southward. Urbanisation, economy and population in the three northeastern provinces continued to move southward, prompting the reduction of arable land in the cities in Liaoning near high-speed railway. The arable land occupation and compensation balance was concentrated in the less developed areas. The cold spot of arable land yield increase was concentrated in the mountainous areas with poorer cultivation conditions. In the future, arable land protection policies need to be improved to prevent the expansion of arable land into mountainous areas, and the agricultural subsidies, infrastructure development and farming management need to be strengthened to promote the sustainable use of arable land.