Abstract: Biochar-based fertilizer can improve and fertilize soil, which is important for promoting agricultural production. However, the response of soil nutrients and enzyme activities to biochar-based fertilizer at different growth stages of drip irrigation corn in arid areas is still unclear. Based on this, this experiment was set up in a one-way randomized block design with five treatments of biochar-based fertilizer: T1 (1 125 kg/hm²), T2 (1 031 kg/hm²), T3 (900 kg/hm²), T4 (788 kg/hm²), and CK (common chemical fertilizer). The influence of biomass-based fertilizer on soil nutrient contents and enzyme activities in the 0~20 cm tillage layer was analyzed at different growth periods for maize. The results showed that soil nutrients and enzyme activity show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing during the maize growth period, and nutrient release characteristics are consistent with the fertilizer requirements of maize growth. application amount of biochar-based fertilizer in T1 and T2 treatments can significantly improve soil nutrients and enzyme activities in arid areas. Low application of biochar-based fertilizer can reduce the content of total nitrogen and available nutrients in the soil and inhibit the activities of alkaline phosphatase, catalase, and invertase in individual growth stages of the soil. The results of the principal component analysis showed that the overall fertility of each treatment was T2>T1>T3>CK>T4. In summary, the comprehensive fertilization effect of the application rate of 1 013 to 1 125 kg/hm² is better than that of chemical fertilizers, significantly promoting the increase of soil nutrient contents, enzyme activities, and improving soil fertility.