Brazil agriculture minister resigns, fourth to go from Rousseff 's cabinet

Brazil's agriculture minister resigned in the wake of corruption allegations involving his top advisers, the fourth minister to quit in the seven-month-old administration of President Dilma Rousseff.

Wagner Rossi, a holdover from former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's government, handed in his resignation, according to a ministry statement.

Rossi's exit is the latest in a string of departures that has added to worries Rousseff's seven-month-old administration is in disarray, with strains among her unruly governing coalition slowing major economic policy decisions.

Rossi is a prominent leader in the PMDB, the largest party in the coalition, which has had deteriorating relations with Rousseff in recent months. Rossi's departure seems likely to make that relationship even worse.

Other recent resignations include powerful figures such as Antonio Palocci, Rousseff's former chief of staff and a perceived favorite among international markets.

A top official at the agriculture ministry had already quit earlier this month, following media reports that he had allowed a lobbyist to set up an office within the ministry to help businesses get contracts in exchange for illicit payments