Soil microbial biomass and enzyme activities can be used as the most sensitive indicators of soil quality for assessing the sustainability of agricultural ecosystems. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of three tillage practices, such as no tillage low stubble (NL), No tillage high stubble with residues (NHS) and conventional tillage (T) practices, on chemical, biological soil quality indicators in a degraded maize slope field under dry conditions. Samples were taken at soil depth of 0-20cm layer in the Qing Shuihe County of Inner Mongolia after a period of 4 years. The chloroform fumigation extraction method and traditional methods were used to measure microbial carbon, nitrogen, enzyme activities and chemical properties in soils. Treatment effects on measured variables were tested by analysis of variance and comparisons among treatment means were made using a Duncan Multiple Range test at P<0.05 level. Statistical procedures and figures were carried out with the software package SPSS16.0 and Sigmaplot 10.0. The results showed that: (1) No tillage high stubble with residues and no tillage low stubble practices could raise soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TPP), total potassium (TPK), available nitrogen (AN),available phosphorus (APP), and available potassium (APK) remarkably. The NHS increased SOM by 11%, TN by 41%, TPP 22%, TPK15%, AN 29%, APP 27% and APK 27%compared to T. (2) Soil microbial biomass carbon was higher in soils under NHS (increased by 69%) and NL (increased by 22%), moreover, Soil microbial biomass nitrogen was greater in soils under NHS (increased by 43%) and NL (increased by 14%) compared to T for 0-20 cm depth, respectively. Soil microbial biomass carbon and nitrogen was up to peak in July and in excess in May and October. (3) We measured alkaline phosphatase, invertase, hydrogen peroxidase and urease, enzyme activities in NHS are enhanced by 57%, 82%, 92% and 25% respectively, over T. The, phosphatase reached peak in June, while others′ peak in July.