Abstract
On the basis of Mandelstam analyticity, crossing, and the observed drop of the backward (180°) π±p differential cross sections with energy, a set of unsubtracted dispersion relations is written for the πN amplitudes A±, B± at fixed θ=π. A further application of crossing allows the derivation of separate sum rules on A and B+, which are not of the superconvergent variety, and which provide us with information about N¯Nππ scattering. In particular, we are able to deduce a value of the spin-flip f0(1250)NN coupling constant, which is shown to permit the following observations: (1) The residue function of the P (or P) trajectory in πN scattering changes sign between t=0 and t=mf2=1.56 GeV2, and (2) universal coupling of the f0(1250) meson to the gravitational stress-energy density and the knowledge of the aforementioned coupling constant fixes the zero-momentum-transfer values of two of the three mechanical form factors. The values are given in the text. Lastly, we present an extended discussion of the Barger-Cline model within the context of backward dispersion relations.