Pediococcus acidilactici DQ2, an isolate from corn stover hydrolysate, has been reported to produce more than 100 g/L lactic acid from corn stover hydrolysate. To determine if the outstanding performance is strain-specific or species-specific, three Pediococcus strains, two strains of P. acidilactici (DQ2 and DSM 20284) and one strain of P. pentosaceus (ATCC 25745), were compared for lactic acid production from glucose in the presence of inhibitors often found in lignocellulosic hydrolysates. P. acidilactici DQ2 showed the best results among the three strains tested, suggesting that the excellent performance of DQ2 is a unique feature of this specific strain.