Ethanol fermentation of the strain DMKU 3-1042 by shaking flask cultivation (110 strokes/min) at 37 C in a sugar cane juice medium was optimum when the medium composed of sugar cane juice supplemented with sucrose to 22% total sugar, 0.05% (NH4)2SO4, 0.05% KH2PO4, and 0.15% MgSO4 Æ 7H2O and having a pH of 5.0. These optimal nutrient and pH conditions gave a maximal ethanol concentration of 8.7% (w/v) (Fig. 2), a productivity of 1.45 g/l/h, and a yield 77.5% of theoretical yield. Growth measured by OD at this temperature and under these conditions was 11.42 at 54 h and 14.33 after 72 h (Fig. 2). At 40 C, a maximal ethanol concentration of 6.78% (w/v) (Fig. 2), a productivity of 1.13 and a yield 60.4% of theoretical yield were obtained in a medium of the same composition except that the pH of the medium was 5.5. Growth as determined by OD was 13.55 at 72 h of fermentation at 40 C under optimal conditions (Fig. 2).