An isobar model in which collision between two particles leads to the creation of only two bodies which by subsequent decay give rise to the observed secondaries has been considered. On the basis of such a model, the charge ratios of pions, kaons andΣ-hyperons inp−p andπ−p collisions have been computed and compared with the available experimental data. Some features of transverse momentum of pions and protons in 24 GeV/cp−p collisions have also been studied. The main conclusions can be summarised as follows: (1) The observed positive excess among pions produced in high energyp−p collisions leading toπ +/π − andπ +/π 0 ratios of ∼3 and 1·6 respectively for high momentum pions can be explained on the basis of the isobar model. Further, the fast increase of K+/K− ratio as the kaon momentum increases, the high ratio (∼4) ofΣ +/Σ − in 24 GeV/cp−p collisions and the existence of a strong positive (negative) excess amongΣ-hyperons produced inπ +−p(π −−p) collisions at various primary energies result, in a natural way, from such a model. The agreement results mainly from the restriction of only two bodies in the final states and does not critically depend on the isospins of produced isobars. (2) The distribution of transverse momentum of pions produced in 24 GeV/cp−p collisions can be represented by the form $$N(p_t )dp_s = \frac{{p_1 }}{{po^2 }}\exp .\left( { - \frac{{p_t }}{{po}}} \right)dp_t $$ withp 0=170 MeV/c. The mean value is 340 MeV/c and is independent of multiplicity of collision. (3) The meanp t of pions is a function of laboratory emission angle. It is low (230 MeV/c) for angles <5°, is more or less a constant (350 MeV/c), between 10° and 30,° and decreases for larger angles. (4) The mean transverse momentum of protons is around 370 MeV/c. There is a trend for the meanp t to increase with prong number for a certain class of events. (5) Unlike the meanp t of pions, the meanp t of protons is independent of primary energy (4–24 GeV) both inp−N andπ−N collisions. (6) The observed features of transverse momentum of pions and protons are consistent with the secondaries being dominantly the decay products of isobars. Further, they indicate a preference for the isobars to decay in cascade rather than through pion resonances.