Cotton stalk, a byproduct of cotton production is abundantly available lignocellulosic biomass, and has enormous potential as replacement for fossil fuel. Due to recalcitrant nature of lignocellulosic biomass, direct conversion without pretreatment always results in an extremely low yield. Therefore, prior to ethanol fermentation, the feedstock needs to be processed by pretreatment and saccharification technology, in order to retain maximum fermentable sugars. In this regards, various efforts have been taken by the researchers from all around the world, to develop a cheap, efficient, and environmental friendly pretreatment technique. This paper aims to present a comprehensive review on outcomes of some extensive investigations in the laboratories on ethanol production potential from cotton stalk.
