Electroanalytical study of infrageneric relationship of Lagerstroemia using glassy carbon electrode recorded voltammograms

An electrochemical fingerprint recording process has been developed for plant species identification and infrageneric relationship analysis. Electrochemical profiles of Lagerstroemia caudata, L. ambigua, L. speciosa, L. anhuiensis, L. balansae, L. minuticarpa, L. subcostata, L. indicas, L. fauriei, L. guilinensis, L. limii, Heimia myrtifolia and Lawsonia inermis were recorded using leaf extract under three buffer solutions. The voltammetric data recorded under different buffer solutions can be derived as a scatter plot and a 2D density pattern for species recognition. As the distribution of electrochemical active compounds in plants is controlled by genes, these fingerprints can reflect differences at the genetic level between species. The dendrogram deduced from the electrochemical fingerprint has been used as evidence for infrageneric relationship investigation. The dendrogram deduced from electrochemical fingerprint indicates the Heimia myrtifolia and Lawsonia inermis were separated from other species, which is in a good agreement with their exotaxa position in this investigation. The intergeneric relationship deduced from data suggested the L. speciosa and L. indicas in a distant relationship.

Keywords: Electrochemical fingerprints; Species identification; Taxonomic sensing; Solid state electrochemistry; Lagerstroemia.