  We show various vanishing theorems for the cohomology groups of compact
hermitian manifolds for which the Bismut connection has (restricted) holonomy
contained in SU(n) and classify all such manifolds of dimension four. In this
way we provide necessary conditions for the existence of such structures on
hermitian manifolds. Then we apply our results to solutions of the string
equations and show that such solutions admit various cohomological restrictions
like for example that under certain natural assumptions the plurigenera vanish.
We also find that under some assumptions the string equations are equivalent to
the condition that a certain vector is parallel with respect to the Bismut
connection.
