You have to have some water for the seeds to germinate, after the young plants are established, they tolerate the dry pretty well.

The best Dove fields I ever hunted in semi arid areas, were spots equal distant from a Sunflower field, brush for roosting and a water canal. I'd pass shoot when they flew from the roost to food, food to water and from water to roost, morning and evening.

Something to think about is water. A stock tank near a bush may help draw the Doves in. They like to land in a bush and eyeball the water before they fly in to drink. They aren't real fond of that green slime that grows in still water.

Many varieties of Sunflower and they seem to have new and improved all the time. Maybe a call to the local agriculture department might prove fruitful for seed recommendations for your specific area.

A tip if you are in an arid area, you can often spot micro climates, like a fold between two small hills that slopes. There is often brush where the ground stays a little moister than the average. Usually smaller plots, but a little is better than nothing.