Sugarcane white leaf (SCWL) is a devastating sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) disease caused by a 16SrXI group phytoplasma, which is extremely harmful to sugarcane production. To determine the occurrence of SCWL in different varieties in 2018, we conducted a field survey and performed nested PCR detection of SCWL phytoplasma in cane-planting areas of Mangweng and Hepai in Gengma, Yunnan province, which are the areas most severely affected by SCWL in China. The results of the field survey showed that the symptomatic incidence of SCWL differed among varieties. The mean symptomatic incidence of SCWL on variety Yuetang60 was the highest (73.50%), and it was the lowest on Liucheng05-136 (13.67%). Using nested PCR, the SCWL phytoplasma was detected in symptomatic plants of all varieties more than 90% of the time; the SCWL phytoplasma was detected in 91 and 97% of symptomatic plants of Yingyu91-59 and Liucheng05-136 varieties, respectively. The SCWL phytoplasma was detected by PCR in 82% of the asymptomatic plant samples. The results of this study showed that field survey based on white leaf symptoms did not accurately reflect the actual occurrence of the SCWL phytoplasma.