  The hadroproduction of charmed mesons is discussed within the framework of
the modified Quark-Gluon String model (QGSM) taking into account the decays of
corresponding $S$--wave resonances like $D^*$. It is shown that the estimate of
the $c\bar{c}$--pair contribution to the quark sea of colliding hadrons
strongly depends on the parametrization of the function of the leading light
quark fragmentation into charmed mesons. A description of the existing
experimental data on inclusive spectra and asymmetries of leading and
nonleading $D$ - and $D^*$ - meson production in $ \pi p$ -, $p p$ - and
$\Sigma p$ - collisions is obtained. The predictions for leading/nonleading
asymmetry in $\Sigma^- p$-- and $\Xi^-p$-- collisions are also given.
