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A procedure was developed for the hybridization and improvement of homothallic industrial wine yeasts. Killer cycloheximide-sensitive strains were crossed with killer-sensitive cycloheximide-resistant strains to get killer cycloheximide-resistant hybrids, thereby enabling hybrid selection and identification. This procedure also allows backcrossing of spore colonies from the hybrids with parental strains.

The effect of killer strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the growth of sensitive strains during must fermentation was studied by using a new method to monitor yeast populations. The capability of killer yeast strains to eliminate sensitive strains depends on the initial proportion of killer yeasts, the susceptibility of sensitive strains, and the treatment of the must. In sterile filtered must, an initial proportion of 2-6% of killer yeasts was responsible for protracted fermentation and suppression of isogenic sensitive strains. A more variable initial proportion was needed to get the same effect with non-isogenic strains. The suspended solids that remain in the must after cold-settling decreased killer toxin effect. The addition of bentonite to the must avoided protracted fermentation and the suppression of sensitive strains; however, the addition of yeast dietary nutrients with yeast cell walls did not, although it decreased fermentation lag.