Combination of biological pretreatment with liquid hot water pretreatment to enhance enzymatic hydrolysis of Populus tomentosa

► A novel design of co-treating Populus tomentosa with white rot fungi and LHW was conducted. ► Combination pretreatment performed well at hemicellulose removal and cellulose digestion than sole LHW treatment. ► A highest hemicellulose removal of 92.33% was observed by combination of Lenzites betulina with LHW treatment. ► Saccharification of poplar co-treated with L. betulina and LHW resulted in a 2.66-fold increase of glucose yield.