This article is devoted to gain a better understanding of the synchronization control mechanism in networked, complex-valued reaction-diffusion systems via an impulsive and sampled-data controller. Different from the traditional control methods with hybrid mechanism, an impulsive and sampled-data control scheme is proposed for fractional-order complex-valued reaction-diffusion neural networks (FRDCVNNs). By utilizing Lyapunov functional and inequality techniques, finite-time Mittag-Leffler synchronization criteria via an impulsive and sampled-data controller are established and presented as linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), which can ensure the finite-time synchronization of error system containing the drive and response dynamics. In addition, synchronization control mechanism on the considered system via impulsive actuator saturation and sampled-data control are applied. Simulation examples are provided to verify the efficacy of the proposed synchronization criterion and the results of practical application to image encryption scheme based on the chaotic complex system is presented. Furthermore, the proposed cryptosystem have obvious advantages of large key space and high security.