The reactions π − p → p π − and π − p → p ϱ − ( ϱ − → π − π 0 ) at 10 GeV/ c with the proton in the forward direction in the c.m.s. are discussed on the basis of 953 elastic scattering events and 2240 events of the reaction π − p → p π − π 0 . The total backward cross sections are 0.52±0.10 and 1.52±0.28 μ b, respectively. In both cases the production mechanism is compatible with the dominance of the baryonic Δ δ Regge trajectory exchange. The ϱ − decay angular distributions are studied in the u -channel helicity frame and the spin density matrix elements are presented as functions of u .
Production of B(1235) and ρ(1710) mesons is observed in the four-pion decay modes π+π+π−π0 in 16−GeVc π±p collisions. Decay distributions and branching fractions into various modes are presented. Absence of the two-pion mode π−π0 for the ρ(1710) is noted.