This work studied the association between biomass types and MgO pretreatment using representative agricultural residues (corn stover, sorghum stalk, and wheat straw), energy crops (miscanthus, switchgrass, and big bluestem), and woody biomass (poplar). Differences in biomass chemical components (24.7-40.3% cellulose, 17.4-27.6% hemicellulose, 12.1-22.0% lignin, and 5.1-38.3% extractives) and the amount of acetic acid (1.9-5.3%) affected biomass structure and pretreatment severity. Optimal pretreatment temperature and time were 170 °C and 40 min for wheat straw and switchgrass; 180 °C and 30 min for miscanthus and poplar; and 180 °C and 40 min for corn stover, sorghum stalk, and big bluestem. Big bluestem and poplar have a larger amount of acetic acid and required more MgO loading (0.12 mol/L). Except for sorghum stalk (0.10 mol/L), the rest required less MgO loading (0.08 mol/L). Approximate MgO loading completely neutralized released acetic acid during pretreatment, reducing sugar degradation and eliminating inhibitor formation.