Efficient ethanol production from lignocellulosic napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) was examined by the combination of the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) with commercial cellulase and Saccharomyces cerevisiae NBRC 2044 and subsequent pentose fermentation (PF) by Escherichia colt KO11. Under the optimized conditions, the combination of the SSF and PF processes resulted in the production of 144 mg g(-1) ethanol from the non-pretreated napiergrass powder. The ethanol yield was 44.2% of the theoretical yield based on the hexose (37.5 g) and pentose (26.5 g) derived from 100 g of dry powdered napiergrass. (c) 2012, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.