Pretreatment, fractionation and hydrolysis remains costly and challenging process steps in biochemical conversion of softwoods. Here, ionic liquid pretreatment using 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate (EMIM-OAc) at high temperature (100 degrees C, 6 h) and alkali based (NaOH/urea) pretreatment at sub-zero temperature (-18 degrees C, 24 h) were compared and combined in studies of Norway Spruce biomass deconstruction. Both treatments significantly improved the enzymatic digestibility of the biomass. EMIM-OAc gave higher glucan than mannan digestibility, indicating a more pronounced effect on the cellulose polymer than on the hemicellulose polymer. In contrast, low temperature alkali pretreatment using NaOH or NaOH + urea gave a more pronounced effect on mannan than on glucan digestibility. By combining the two methods the total monosugar yield after enzymatic hydrolysis was improved by 20-50% as compared to using ionic liquid or alkali based pretreatment alone. Lignin dissolution was low for both methods under the conditions studied. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.