On Electron-Positron Annihilation into Nucleon-Antinucleon Pairs

We discuss the puzzling experimental results on baryon-antibaryon production in e+e- annihilation close to the threshold, in particular the fact that sigma(e+e- --> nbar n) >~ sigma(e+e- --> pbar p). We discuss an interpretation in terms of a two-step process, via an intermediate coherent isovector state serving as an intermediary between e+e- and the baryon-antibaryon system. We provide evidence that the isovector channel dominates both e+e- --> pions and from Nbar N annihilation at rest, and show that the observed ratio of sigma(e+e- --> nbar n)/sigma(e+e- --> pbarp p) can be understood quantitatively in this picture.