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The initiation of strawberries into in vitro culture is known to be complicated by the inhibition of organogenesis by phenolic oxidation products. An important role in this process is given to the selection of growth regulators that increase meristematic cell activity and shoot proliferation at the stage of organogenesis induction. The present study aims to obtain a viable apical meristem culture of garden strawberry and to study the effect of different antioxidants (reduced glutathione (RG); a new preparation, i.e., a mechanical composite (MC) on the basis of biogenic silicon and green tea catechins and plant growth regulators (6-benzylaminopurine; thidiazuron) on the initiation of axillary shoot formation in strawberry meristem culture. Terminal buds containing an apical meristem and two leaf primordia isolated from the stolons of two garden strawberry cultivars (Sunny Meadow and Festival Chamomile) were used as primary explants for the initiation of strawberries into in vitro culture. It was found for the first time that the MC exhibits higher antioxidant activity as compared to reduced glutathione, reduces darkening of initial explants, as well as enhancing regeneration up to 13.0% at p ≤ 0.05. Furthermore, the best effect on the formation of microshoots per explant is observed toward the end of material introduction into in vitro culture when combining the MC with growth regulators in the culture medium. Here, the effect of strawberry cultivar on explant regeneration and the number of microshoots per explant are insignificant. It is concluded that the procedure for using the MC as an effective antioxidant during material initiation into the culture can be applied to the large-scale in vitro propagation of garden strawberries. Moreover, the technology for obtaining the MC from plant waste is environmentally friendly, which is a significant advantage for its use in in vitro technologies.

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