Fungal pretreatment of cornstalk with Phanerochaete chrysosporium for enhancing enzymatic saccharification and hydrogen production

► Fungal pretreated cornstalk hydrolysate could use to produce hydrogen. ► We examine changes and reduction of the lignin index in the pretreated cornstalk. ► Crude enzyme from Trichoderma viride could effectively saccharify cornstalk. ► High hydrogen yield was obtained by this process.