Even as far back as 1998
Phytoplasmas were found in Alfa Alfa crops in Wisconsin, and were infected. at a rate of23.5%. And this was just testing 1 crop, which I imagine is one of their bigger crops.
Logically bugs, being bugs ect, I know, mites aint bugs, but as research says most of the infection will come from leafhoppers as they are much more plentiful vs more varied climates. BMs don't do well surviving cold, but if you believe things are getting warmer overall, the bugs from the tropics ( Observed ) are on the march north, and are going to bring all kinds of shit with them.
America Elm is also 1 of the main ways insects ect, get infected.
A survey was conducted during September to November, 1998 to determine the incidence of phytoplasma in alfalfa plantings. Samples were obtained from fields near Arlington, Evansville, Marshfield, West Madison, Lancaster, Whitewater, Hancock and a growers field west of Madison. Samples consisted of growing tips from upper regions of plants. Samples were placed into labeled plastic bags and then placed in Styrofoam coolers for return to UW-Madison upon which samples were frozen at -20EC. Samples were processed by extraction of DNA using the protocol of (Zhang et al. 1998). This process separates the DNA (which contains the genes we are interested in) from the rest of the plant material. After the purified DNA was obtained, nested PCR (polymerase chain reaction) was carried out using two universal primer pairs according to the protocol of Gunderson and Lee (1996). The PCR process allows us to detect the DNA from only the phytoplasmas present in a sample and distinguishes phytoplasma DNA from all the other types of DNA present in the sample (such as plant, bacteria, and fungal DNA). This new technique (PCR) is costly and time-consuming, but allows us to detect organisms such as phytoplasmas in alfalfa (and other crops) which have probably been present in plantings for many years, but were very difficult to detect with traditional methods. For further classification of phytoplasmas, restriction enzyme digests were performed (the phytoplasma DNA was cut with enzymes) and comparison of RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphisms) were made with known patterns described by Lee et al. (1998). In other words, after we cut the phytoplasma DNA with enzymes, the patterns that were produced were compared with patterns of other phytoplasmas from around the world to further identify what phytoplasmas we are dealing with in Wisconsin.
Results indicated that phytoplasmas or organisms closely related to phytoplasmas are widespread in alfalfa plantings in Wisconsin (see Table 1).
Table 1. Incidence of samples PCR-positive for phytoplasma in Wisconsin.
Location |
Number of samples |
Number of samples PCR-positive for phytoplasma |
Percent of samples PCR-positive for phytoplasma |
Arlington |
6 |
4 |
67 |
Evansville |
6 |
1 |
17 |
Marshfield |
7 |
2 |
29 |
West Madison |
21 |
0 |
0 |
Lancaster |
3 |
2 |
67 |
Whitewater |
2 |
1 |
50 |
Hancock |
3 |
0 |
0 |
Grower=s field west of Madison |
3 |
2 |
67 |
TOTAL |
51 |
12 |
23.5 |