Reasonable tillage is one of important measures to improve soil physical quality and to construct rational tillage layer on the Loess Plateau. In this study, three autumn tillage practices, including rotary tillage (RT), plough tillage (PT) and subsoiling (ST) were carried out to assess the effects of different autumn tillage on soil physical quality in 0-30 cm layer of maize field on the Loess Plateau. The results showed that, compared with RT, PT significantly reduced soil bulk density by 10.1%-14.58% while significantly increased total porosity by 11.59%-22.37% and air-filled porosity by 26.52%-75.2% in 5-30 cm layer, respectively. Moreover, compared with ST, PT significantly reduced soil bulk density by 6.56%-13.48% and increased total porosity by 9.3%-17.1% in 10-30 cm layer, increased capillarity porosity by 7.41%-11.75% in 0-10 cm layer and mass water content by 5.46%-16.57% in 10-30 cm layer. The most optimal deviation values of solid, liquid and gas appeared in 5-10 cm layer under RT and in 10-30 cm layer under PT. In conclusion, soil physical quality is improved in 5-10 cm layer under RT and in 10-30 cm layer under PT, therefore, adoption of RT/PT shifting tillage is a potential practice to construct rational tillage layer in the maize field on the Loess Plateau of China.