Microbial antagonists are effective and environmentally friendly in controlling postharvest diseases of fruit. The present study investigated the influence of D. nepalensis on epiphytic microbiome and postharvest decay of jujube. Results showed that D. nepalensis notably reduced fungal decay, maintained the fruit firmness and delayed discoloration. The epiphytic microbiome revealed that D. nepalensis changed the fungal communities, but few influence on bacterial communities were observed. D. nepalensis , as the dominant population in the treatment group, decreased the abundance of pathogenic fungi of Alternaria , Penicillium , Fusarium and Botrytis , while increased the beneficial bacteria of Pantoea. The canonical correspondence analysis revealed that Debaryomyces was negatively correlated with the decay rate, whereas Penicillium , Acremonium , Rhodosporidiobolus and Hansfordia were positively correlated. In conclusion, D. nepalensis altered the successional process of fungal and bacterial communities to reduce the decay rate of jujube during storage. • D. nepalensis delayed fungal decay and maintained the quality of jujube. • D. nepalensis affected the diversity and composition of the jujube microbiome. • The abundance of pathogenic fungi was reduced by D. nepalensis. • The abundance of D. nepalensis was associated with the quality of jujube fruit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]