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Fusarium ear rot [caused by Fusarium verticillioides(Sacc.) Nirenberg] is one of the most prevalent diseases of maize (Zea maysL.) worldwide, and has one of the greatest negative economic impacts on this cereal crop globally. Fusarium ear rot is a highly complex trait, under polygenic control with minor effects per gene and moderate heritability, and is strongly influenced by environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to identify genomic regions, including putative candidate genes, associated with resistance to Fusarium ear rot and the starburst pattern caused by F. verticillioidesunder artificial inoculation. We conducted a genome‐wide association study using phenotypic data from three environments on a panel of 183 inbred lines and a set of 267,525 single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) generated using genotyping by sequencing. Fourteen SNPs were significantly associated with Fusarium ear rot and two for starburst, some of which were colocalized to previously reported quantitative trait loci regions, and some of which were novel. Four genes linked to the associated SNPs encode defense‐related proteins, including gibberellin 2‐oxidase4, a glucosyltransferase, a Ras‐related protein RHN1, and phosphoribosylanthranilate transferase (PAT). Each of these SNPs explains a considerable proportion of the phenotypic variance, ranging from 15 to 25%. Once these SNPs are validated, they will be useful for marker‐assisted selection and for a better understanding of maize resistance to Fusarium ear rots.