Doug, it looks to me to be what's called internal BER ( blossom end rot). Most of the time there's a leathery, often black area at the blossom end on the exterior of the fruits, but sometimes there's no external sign of BER and it's limited to the interior.

If you click on the FAQ link at the top of this first page there's an article about BER.

Roma and other paste tomatoes are especially susceptible to BER although it can be found with many other varieties as well.

Carolyn

OH, MY! I've never seen a picture of some of the plant diseases, so I was blown away. What on earth causes this? Nevermind... I guess I'll go study up on it...

~Angela

Carolyn, thank you for the help. I tried reading the FAQ and I searched elsewhere on the internet, but I couldn't find the answer. I'm grateful that you pointed me in the right direction.

On closer inspection, some of the fruit do have a very small speck of BER on the exterior, almost not noticeable. The romas are in the wettest part of the garden, and apparently too much water can be a cause of the calcium deficiency that causes BER. Early in the season it was very wet, but now we need rain!

The rest of the tomatoes are doing great: Early Girl, Early Cascade, Sungold, Ponderosa, and Brandywine.

OH, MY! I've never seen a picture of some of the plant diseases, so I was blown away. What on earth causes this? Nevermind... I guess I'll go study up on it...

****

Angela, BER is very common and is not a disease, it's a physiological problem. The FAQ link I referred to above discusses typical BER at the exterior of the blossom end of the fruit and some of the many stresses that can lead to it, but it doesn't discuss the internal BER that I've discussed here.

Carolyn

Oooooh, okay. Thanks for letting me know. Especially if these issues are common, I best study up on it real good. I appreciate seeing the post in the first place and your replies, Carolyn!

~Angela