Genetic variation within a nonweed (coastal) population of poorjoe was measured in an experimental population subjected to soybean and intraspecific competition for space and light. A sib analysis was used to estimate phenotypic and genetic variance/covariance components of aboveground biomass production and five independent measurements of growth defined by a path-coefficient model. A multivariate analysis of response to selection was applied to predict evolutionary change in the growth measurements in response to selection for performance under soybean and intraspecific space/light competition; sufficient genetic variation was present in the experimental population to allow a rapid response to this selection. Selection under competitive conditions was predicted to cause the nonweed population to emerge earlier, grow faster early in development, change in growth form, and grow faster under a soybean canopy. Most of these changes would increase the resemblance of the selected population to a weed population of poorjoe. However, the growth rate of the selected population under a soybean canopy was predicted to become greater than that actually observed in the present-day weed population. Multivariate analysis of response to selection may be generally useful in predicting evolutionary response of plant pest populations to control practices.